Gladiator
by Seyary-Minamoto
Summary: In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually rest upon the Fire Princess, who needs him for her own ends...
1. Chapter 1

_Little do we think of how fortuitous the circumstances were during the times of Avatar Aang. Not often do we realize things could have turned out very differently had only one factor been removed… and such things allow for endless possibilities to unveil themselves. Because… what would have happened if Katara hadn't tagged along on that fishing trip with her brother Sokka? What if she had decided to stay behind to help her grandmother with her chores? _

_The changes on the already written story could be unimaginable… the world as we know it wouldn't exist. To picture such developments may be unthinkable… but who is to say it wasn't likely? Who is to declare it was impossible? Certainly, the story as we know it wouldn't have been written… but maybe another story would have been born instead._

_A story where the struggle to save the world is not in the manner we envisioned, where a different war wages in the form of fighters who strive to prove their worth through their bending or their weapons, where the least expected love story unfolds, changing the way a Princess sees the world, changing the way a young man makes a name for himself when he takes upon the challenge of becoming…_

_GLADIATOR_

Staring into the white horizon anxiously had become, to Katara's utter displeasure, her most recurrent activity ever since her brother had decided to jump into the war to try and force the Fire Nation out of their home. It had been a week since he had left, and she couldn't even bother practicing her waterbending forms since her mind was overflown with concern. Ever since she was a kid she had grown used to this way of life, sitting by the edge of the village, waiting for the warriors to return… and most of them had. By now, hardly any warriors from the Southern Water Tribe were directly involved with the war… but in all honesty, there wasn't much of a war anymore.

With the power of Sozin's Comet, the firebenders' skill had been enhanced, and it wasn't as if they really needed this event to take over the world. It simply helped them achieve their goal faster than they expected to. The Earth Kingdom had collapsed, the Fire Nation had taken over Ba Sing Se and most major Earth Kingdom towns; not even the fabled Kyoshi Island had gotten away from the slaughter. The balance between the Four Nations was little more than a myth at this point, not even Katara could hold on to the hope of the Avatar returning anymore. She had to face reality: the Fire Nation had won the war, and the Southern Water Tribe could only attempt to stand their ground for as long as possible.

The poles were very cold places that not many firebenders could cope with, seeing as they were more comfortable in the warmth of tropical regions where the sun would shine brightly nearly every day, giving them the strength they needed to cut down anyone who dared stand in their way. The dynamics of the poles were very difficult for them to bear, since the sun would shine during six months, but it would go into hiding for the rest of the year, rendering them extremely weak. The light period was about to come to an end in the South Pole, but sadly, it didn't go without a hitch. After taking over most the Northern Water Tribe in over five years of fighting, the Fire Nation had moved down to the South and after a few battles, they had taken over a small territory of the icy tundra, marking it as their land and instating several buildings to prove their might. Regardless, only a handful of guards would stand by their newly obtained territory due to how difficult it was for them to survive in this environment, and so, Sokka and the best warriors of the Southern Water Tribe were getting ready to attack. He was out with his most reliable supporters, kids he had trained in the art of fighting ever since he was scarcely a teenager himself, and they had grown to admire him and follow his every command. Currently they were on a scouting mission, or so he had claimed, to obtain more information regarding the Fire Nation base. Hakoda, the Tribe's Chieftain and Sokka's father, hadn't agreed at all with these plans, but Sokka was a daring young man, twenty-one winters old and determined to fight back against the Fire Nation's advances in whichever manner possible.

And thus, Katara was left to await her brother's return, hoping he would come back before the dark half of the year began. It was already hard to face the coldest temperatures within the village, but out in the open it could prove deadly. Katara shook her head, trying to shun away such thoughts from her mind, but unable to do so. It was impossible for her to contain her concern for her brother…

"Dinner is ready, Katara" said an elderly woman who had approached her granddaughter silently

The girl turned and smiled kindly at Kanna.

"Thanks, Gran Gran" she muttered "I'll go in a bit, I'm just waiting…"

"Katara… it will be better if you come inside" said Kanna "You need to rest properly. The dark period is coming; you can't spend so much time out in the cold"

"For that matter, you're the last one who should tell me that" said Katara, turning to her elderly grandmother. "Let's both go inside, Gran Gran"

Kanna smiled and turned back to the village. Katara followed suit, but turned around to catch a last glimpse of the horizon, hoping to see a shadowy figure far away, walking towards her, clad in his warrior outfit and waving at her… She smiled sadly as she saw a shape far away, certain her mind was playing tricks on her. She'd seen Sokka return so many times already that she was already hallucinating… only, she wasn't. She rubbed her eyes and the shape was still there!

"Sokka?!" she called, surprising Kanna, who was certain her granddaughter was behind her.

More shapes appeared in the far horizon, all of them clad in the typical clothing of Water Tribe Warriors. And the one leading all of them was beaming and waving his hand towards her, his usual carefree attitude giving him away with ease

"Sokka!" yelled Katara, smiling and sprinting towards him.

When she reached him, she swung her arms around his neck and embraced her brother; Sokka chuckled and hugged her too, surprised to see how she had missed him only after a week of being apart.

"I'm back, Katara" he said, and she smiled as she pulled away from him.

"I was so worried! You guys took too long to come back!" she exclaimed, scolding her older brother.

Sokka grinned, guilt splattered all over his face. The other warriors walked by them as he patted his sister on the top of her head.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that. But you'll see we were worth the wait, Katara!" he said, smiling widely "We've got a great piece of information… you'll be amazed. We'll finally kick those Fire Nation invaders out and send them back to the slice of hell they belong in"

Katara stared at him with even more concern than before, but she wasn't able to let her brother know how uneasy it made her to hear about his ploys to beat the Fire Nation. She hated everything about the invaders, she always had… but things had grown calm these last few days, and she didn't wish for the small peace they had achieved to be broken in any way. To get involved in whatever plan Sokka was designing to bring down the Fire Nation settlement on the South Pole promised to disrupt said peace, and it might destroy it altogether.

"Are you sure about this, Sokka?" asked Katara, but he ignored her as he walked to greet his grandmother.

"Hey, Gran Gran!" he said, and Kanna grinned, hugging him tightly

"We were worried sick about you, Sokka" said Kanna "Don't leave for so long, I beg you"

"I won't leave for over a week again, I promise" he muttered "But I do have to take off again in a few days. Things are looking up…"

"What exactly do you mean by that, Sokka?" asked Katara, frowning and earning his attention this time.

"I'll explain soon, but I think I'll do it over dinner" he stated, smiling clumsily "I'm starving!"

Katara sighed as they entered the village among the other warriors, who headed into their houses and greeted their respective families. Katara smiled as she heard the cries of joy… it was the only good part about the war, it helped everyone value their family members far more than they would under normal circumstances… well, it wasn't as if she knew much about it: she had never known a world without war.

Sokka walked inside the largest igloo in town, the one belonging to Chief Hakoda's family. He had served the Water Tribe's warriors for many years now, but a few months after the Fire Nation had taken over the Earth Kingdom, he decided, after losing great warriors of the Tribe, that it would be safer for what was left of their battalion to return home. His wise choice had saved many lives, but at the same time, their withdrawal from the war had seemed an equivalent to surrendering the world to the hands of the Fire Nation, and despite he had been very spirited and determined to ensure the Water Tribe wouldn't undergo the same fate as the Earth Kingdom and the Air Nomads had, he had grown tired and worn out after spending half his life battling in a war he couldn't win. And his son's enthusiasm wasn't contagious, in fact, it only discouraged him. He had already lost a wife to the war and he would hate to lose his son as well.

Relief washed over Hakoda when Sokka walked inside, setting his weapons down and grinning at him kindly.

"I'm back, dad" he said, embracing his father "And I have great news"

Hakoda patted his son on the back before pulling away.

"So far, the best news you can give me, you already have. You are safe and sound, and before you fill my mind with plots to bring down the Fire Nation, I think we should have dinner"

Sokka sighed and rolled his eyes, but he smiled at his father and nodded in agreement.

As they ate, despite Katara didn't believe it wise, Sokka told his family the tale of his trip and, after explaining how they snuck inside the settlement disguised as Fire Nation guards, he finally reached the main event, the great revelation that might help them tip the scales to their favor:

"… It wasn't easy, but once I had the firebender disguise so they wouldn't recognize my features, I walked into the main building and pretended to stand guard during a small meeting" he explained, lifting his empty dish and requesting another serving of noodles, and Katara complied with his wishes "And I heard the best news I could have asked for: there will be a huge meeting in the settlement in two days, several big shots from the Fire Nation will attend it and they'll talk about how to take over the whole Pole. Apparently they're striving to do it during the dark period, but they know they'll be weaker. They're bound to bring in lots of benders to help keep guard of their station, but they're terrified of the cold, it weakens them while it gives us cover. If we surround the perimeter once the meeting is underway, we can take out the guards and make the big leaders our prisoners"

"Who are these people who'll attend the meeting?" asked Hakoda, frowning "Did they say anything specific about them?"

"Not really" said Sokka, shrugging "I heard the governor they plan to impose on us will come and who knows what other crazy Fire Nation military people…"

"They won't be easy to outsmart, Sokka" said Hakoda, crossing his arms "And even if the sun is gone during the dark period, they won't be powerless"

"Always the party pooper" said Sokka, sighing "Dad, I know you're worried and you don't want me involved in anything this dangerous, but I can deal with this operation. Actually, there's hardly any way we'll lose! After the scouting mission we know really well the layout of their settlement, and we'll have the element of surprise on our side, since they have no idea we've got this information! I can devise a strategy so we can take over the whole…"

"Sokka, do you realize what's at stake here?" asked Hakoda, reprimanding his son.

Sokka was the one to frown now, and he glared at his father as he muttered with greeted teeth

"Stop treating me like a child. I know what I'm doing"

"Do you, really?" asked Hakoda "You're being selfish and naïve, Sokka. You might be a great leader, but by having your companions walk into a Fire Nation settlement to take a group of hostages you're putting not just your neck in line, but everyone else's. You could just as easily get everyone killed by jumping into the Fire Lord's Palace…"

"You think I'm going to let my men die?" asked Sokka, snorting in disbelief.

"I think you don't understand that your men CAN die!" yelled Hakoda "Are you ready to face the consequences of losing your fellow warriors? Can you tell those families that their beloved husband, father, brother or uncle passed away?!"

"It won't happen" growled Sokka "I have a good plan, and you'll see nobody on our side will perish with it"

"Then you're planning to kill Fire Nation people" muttered Kanna "How does that make you better than them?"

Sokka was astounded, and looked from his grandmother to his father, feeling betrayed

"So you want me to sit here with you all, knitting and fishing for whatever's left of my life before the Fire Nation comes to slaughter our village? You think that's what I should do? You don't want to regain the territories that are rightfully ours, that they took from us? The warriors that died to keep the village safe would be disgusted to see us give in like this... Bato would never accept this. He would have fought to the end!"

"Don't you dare pretend to understand Bato!" yelled Hakoda "He was nothing like either one of us... he knew what was at stake in this was far better than I did, and it was my foolishness what brought him to his end. I thought myself undefeatable, much like you do... and I wasn't the one to pay the price for my arrogance. It would have been better if I'd been the one to…"

"Don't say that, dad" muttered Katara, tears flooding her eyes at the thought "Please… can we all just calm down and talk this through?"

"I'm trying to talk this through" grunted Sokka "But it seems like the man I always looked up to isn't as brave as I used to think he was"

Hakoda knew his son was merely acting defiant because he wished to make him see matters his way, but he had lived through enough grief at losing so many people he held dear to let his son jump into such dangerous situation without warning him in every way possible

"Sokka, just listen to me" he muttered "If you wish to go, I cannot stop you. But this is by far the riskiest move you've ever made, and I won't let you go until you really understand all that's in play if you really continue with such scheme…"

"Believe it or not, you don't need to explain anything to me" muttered Sokka "I know what's at stake in wars. I won't fail to bring everyone back home, you can count on it"

Hakoda sighed and shook his head, knowing his son wouldn't listen to his words. At this rate he would only ever learn the lesson the hard way… Hakoda didn't want things to develop like this, but it wasn't unlikely to happen if Sokka kept acting recklessly. The world wasn't merciful to men who believed they were strong enough to face everything headfirst, and he had come to this knowledge in the worst possible way when he lost his best friend to the hands of the Fire Nation on an unsuccessful raid to an enemy campsite. He had been certain his plans wouldn't fail since they hardly ever did, but he was proven wrong when almost half his men were slain that day. It had been this terrible defeat what had made him decide to head back to the South Pole to protect his people. Hope had vanished slowly over time, and regardless how much he loathed to think this way, he had come to accept that the Fire Nation had taken over the world by now. The only zone free of their armies and firebenders was the South Pole, and at this rate, they wouldn't last long either… at times he wondered if they should simply surrender. At least they might survive if they did…

But Sokka's headstrong nature wouldn't allow him to give up. He had been born and raised in the firm belief that the Fire Nation's deeds were completely wrong, and he had no qualms about putting his life in the line to battle against the people who had taken his mother from him, the people who had thwarted two other cultures without any remorse whatsoever. He would defend his tribe and he would bring down the Fire Nation somehow, he was certain he could bring himself up to the task someday, if only he was given a chance to lead the warriors of the South Pole into the frontlines… but he knew his father would only acknowledge his prowess if he managed to finish flawlessly the mission he had in mind. And he would. He planned to do so.

Katara looked from one man to the other, her eyes filled with concern. Her family had already suffered many losses, but they had always gotten along despite the upsetting circumstances… something within her chest seemed to stir and weigh her down, a sense of loss had taken over her before anything really troublesome occurred… because if Sokka stood to his own expectations, her father would still be upset. And if her father was right… she didn't even want to think of the consequences. Sokka wouldn't be able to stand losing his friends, and if it came to worst, she would be the one completely devastated if he were the one to perish in what promised to be a horrible battle…

She could only trust Sokka's instincts, no matter how many times they had been wrong so far. Maybe there wouldn't be anyone particularly dangerous within the Fire Nation's ranks and they would achieve victory without any losses, just as Sokka planned… maybe there wouldn't be anything troublesome to worry about at all. Sokka could lead his warriors, she knew he could… and she believed in him. Because all she could do at this point was hope for the best, hope nothing deadly awaited her brother within the Fire Nation's settlement…

…

A frown spread through the Princess's brow as she tapped the edge of her throne's armrest impatiently. She didn't usually feel uncomfortable by traveling on a ship, especially one as magnificent as her personally selected vessel, but the decreasing temperature made her uneasy with every mile they traveled.

But she didn't blame her discomfort on the weather. She knew the true source of her displeasure, she had known it for years now; in fact, she had known what it was for her entire life.

Her thoughts were pondering on the matter that irritated her when the captain of the ship walked up to her and bowed before informing her of the situation.

"We are approaching the bay, My Lo-… Princess"

The glare she presented him with was such that she could read in his terrified features how he would rather be tossed into the freezing water than face her wrath. He stumbled back, uncertain of how to deal with the enraged young woman; she merely brought her hands together, intertwining her fingers and resting against the back of her chair as she continued to glower at him.

"Good. Make sure we make it to the settlement smoothly, will you?" she said, a poisonous tone coating her every word.

"Yes, Princess" he said, performing a very deep bow and running off as quickly as he could to the engine room of the ship, not so much because his presence was needed, but because he wished to be as far from the deadly lady as he could be within the same ship.

Azula sighed once he was gone and she shook her head in complete disgust. She was a powerful woman in a world ruled by weak men who believed only men should hold privileged positions: ever since her childhood days she had been seen as inferior to her brother not because she was the younger sibling, but because she was a girl. It didn't matter if she was a far more powerful firebender, a greater strategist or a better leader, they couldn't care less unless she somehow woke up one day transfigured into a man… the sole idea made her shiver in disgust. She had grown to hate the sexist society she lived within, and she most definitely wouldn't want to become another one of the males she had grown to despise. She only ever had felt prized and cared for by her father, and he was the only example of a gentleman she had seen so far, the rest of the men she knew… they really weren't worth thinking about. So she most definitely wouldn't want a spirit of some sort to turn her into a man… she wanted to prove her worth as a woman. She wished to show the world that gender made no difference when it came to actual talent in politics or bending, and if it made any difference, then it probably meant she was superior to all the men she knew.

She wasn't weak, she wasn't fragile-minded, and she most definitely wouldn't be content with a simple life based on social interaction in parties and balls, like so many other women. She wanted more… and she deserved more. She was the heir to the Fire Nation throne, and once she obtained the crown, she would make sure all this trashing and disdaining of the females would vanish completely. She could become the most amazing leader her nation had ever witnessed… and she knew she would. It was only a matter of time…

But was it? For all she knew, what others hoped for could come true at some point and she might lose her right to the throne. For all she knew, Zuko might find the Avatar and return home, regaining the honor he had been stripped off… the sole thought made her cringe. It wasn't so much her dislike for her brother (which was evident and mutual) as it was her wishes to retain her current position… it had almost been nine years of putting up with the pressures of being the heir and being a girl at the same time, and despite she was certain she had handled it well so far by terrifying and inspiring respect from her subjects, she knew that whenever she turned around they began whispering about how inappropriate it was for a woman to hold such honorable position. And she wasn't making this up out of paranoia: once, after a War Meeting was done, she had left the hall but returned shortly in hopes to convey one final thought to her former most admired military figure, Admiral Zhao, and she had overheard him and several other generals who had been present at the meeting chuckling at her expenses, claiming a thirteen year-old girl (her age at the time) was better off playing with dolls than getting involved in military tactics and strategies, that she would never understand the true extent of what they discussed because she was a woman…

A woman…

And what was so wrong with that? She never really knew why there was such a barrier between males and females. Sure, the differences between both genders were completely clear, but what made one better than the other? Who had decided which was better? She truly wished to discover the answer to the second question for the sole purpose of electrifying the culprit to prove her might… would that help her cause? Probably not. She could have taken over Ba Sing Se on her own and they still would consider her inferior to them…

She clenched her teeth and looked forward, trying to keep such thoughts off her mind. She was heading down to the South Pole's settlement as her father's representative, to ascertain they would take over the Water Tribe as soon as possible. Circumstances were against them now since they would be battling over the ownership of the Pole during a period with no sun, which would cut to half the power of even the greatest firebenders. But they had an advantage: all the waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe had been slain years ago. According to the reports, there was none left. So if they were going to face hardships, they would come solely from warriors, which were still dangerous, but not as deadly as waterbenders attacking them when they were at their weakest.

She was attending the meeting in a diplomatic manner, but she was certain she would give a valuable input to their strategies to stand their ground and defeat the Water Tribe warriors, if she wasn't the one to develop all the plans to repel their enemies altogether. She could already imagine the way the meeting would develop, all those admirals and generals discussing and arguing out of the pathetic need to ascertain their dominance upon the others, to prove who was the manliest man… and then she'd give out a brilliant strategy, a perfect plan not only to protect the settlement, but to take over the enemy village during this period; she wanted to devise a plan that didn't even require of reinforcements. The Fire Nation armies were spread out thin all over the world, and the greatest firebenders were currently battling in the Northern Water Tribe, since the light period would begin there soon and they would finally gain the upper hand. The North Pole held, of course, a bigger threat than the South Pole since there were still many powerful waterbenders there. They would need as many soldiers as possible to submit the entire tribe to the will of the Fire Nation, and they only had half a year to fulfill said purpose. So she would devise a way to keep the scales tipped to their favor by conquering the Southern Water Tribe without asking for any help from those who were fighting up north, she had that much confidence in her skills as a strategist.

She knew it wouldn't be an easy feat for them, the cold made her shiver even though she kept breathing and increasing her body heat at will, and she was one of the greatest firebenders alive, second only to her father. Surely the small battalion that they'd brought for this siege would have a hard time fighting in such conditions, but she was convinced they could pull it off. She was already working on her plans, and she was certain she'd find a way for the Fire Nation to stand its ground against the savages down in the Pole… but it all rested on the men, as usual. Unless they suddenly grew a spine and admitted she understood the wages of war far better than they did, they would dismiss her every intervention claiming this was no place for a Princess… she knew it would take a lot of effort to ensure they would trust and acknowledge her, but she was determined to forge a name for herself, to prove she was far above the challenges they were unwilling to impose on her.

Because she was the daughter of the Fire Lord, and the heir to the throne. And she wouldn't surrender, not to the men of the Fire Nation or to the Water Tribe savages. It wasn't a matter of fighting to the end, of winning or die trying… there was no such option. She would conquer and burn to the ground anything that opposed her, just like her father had done when he'd had Sozin's Comet to fuel his strength a few years ago. She wouldn't weaver, because she was Princess Azula, and nobody could stand in her way without getting the short end of the deal.

She didn't know it at the moment, but she would be teaching this lesson to the men around her sooner than she thought, at the expenses of a Water Tribe savage who would jump headfirst into battle, unaware of whom he would be dealing with…

**Well, well, as you must have realized by now, this story is going to be far darker and way different in comparison to everything I've written so far. As you can see, the setting is, as I promised, no longer within The Reason's timeline. I will try to update both Gladiator and How They All Reacted, but don't expect regular updates ^^U I know it's a major put-off and you all loved me because I updated with the blink of an eye, but I've grown busy and I've taken upon a lot of fics at the same time, so you'll see less and more of me at once xD **

**Thanks to Chaosconetic for suggesting this story to me, I'll do my best with it! Hopefully you'll enjoy what I've made of your idea ^^ can't thank you enough for entrusting me with it! ^^**

**And yeah, this was a pretty uneventful chapter, but I promise this will be packed with action soon! xD and romance… because that's what many of you are expecting, and I know it really well xD I'll do my best not to disappoint you! ^^**

**This story will probably develop for a very long time, so keep that in mind. It's going to be pretty long… but I hope you'll enjoy it every step of the way just as much as I will ^^ thanks for reading in advance, and every review is welcome! ^^**

**WARNING: this fic might end up rated M eventually, because of violence and… a few other things ^^U I will be posting a heads-up on each chapter with M-content if you don't wish to read it xD well, that's all for now ^^ will be seeing you guys soon! ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

The ship anchored on the shore, or what Azula assumed could be considered a shore, next to the handful of vessels owned by the men who were meant to attend today's meeting. Azula stood up from her throne-like seat and readied herself to disembark. Her entire crew stood on the deck, bowing down to her as she walked among them towards the icy tundra that awaited her. She wasn't surprised to see there was no committee to welcome and escort her all the way to the settlement that stood a few yards away; she was certain the men that waited for her were the scumbags she was used to dealing with: if her father was nearby, they would treat her with phony respect, but otherwise, they would ignore her and hope she learned she had no place in war meetings, especially in war meetings down at the South Pole.

But she no longer cared about what they thought of her. She would make her own path in the world through her own means, not through whatever opinion others had of her. With steady feet, she walked down the ramp that led her to the frozen ground, flaring her inner fire to ensure she wouldn't flail due to the unfavorable conditions to her organism. The same didn't apply to the two royal guards clad in red outfits that followed her: they lagged behind since they had nowhere near the firebending potential of the Princess they had been tasked to protect, and the cold seemed to be about to freeze their very bones.

To Azula's disapproval, the number of guards around the settlement was nowhere near enough for an adequate protection of the territory they had acquired. For all they knew, there might be savages lurking behind the icy mounds that stood not too far from the settlement, and they didn't have the proper defensive mechanisms to fight them off. Azula frowned as she approached the metallic gates of the structure, which were wide open since they had been expecting her arrival. The two guards standing next to the gates bowed in her direction, Azula didn't bother acknowledging them. At least these men knew how to show her respect. She entered the main building of the settlement after walking through the snowy enclosure as quickly as she could, trying to ignore how the inside of the metallic structure seemed to be even colder than out in the open.

Despite her fast strides, she hoped she was delaying them. Making a grand entrance after they were all assembled would draw a lot of attention to her, and luckily, if they studied her carefully enough, they would realize she wasn't in the mood to tolerate their sexist attitude, not now, not ever. And with said determination flaring in her eyes, she waited for her royal guards to open the door of the largest room in the building and she walked inside with her head held up high as she identified the six men within the room before they could even turn to greet her.

The group of men sat around a table; several files and documents were spread over it. One of them held a smoke to his mouth, the smell of which disgusted Azula slightly, but the stench was familiar enough for her to recognize him as Admiral Chan, the man destined to govern over the South Pole once they had taken over the whole region. He carried his fabulous cigarettes anywhere he went, which some people found as a really adequate addiction for a firebender, but Azula thought differently. The best firebenders needed great lung capacity since breath was essential for the art of bending fire. Smoking was the best way to deteriorate your skills as a firebender, or so Azula believed, and so far, she hadn't been proven wrong. She had known Admiral Chan for years and she could ascertain his fighting abilities had dulled over time…

To his right sat Commander Tsong, a recently promoted man in his thirties whose arrogance was larger than whatever skill landed him the job. Captain Tao, the man of lowest rank amongst them all, sat on the other side of Chan, looking extremely nervous and even more so now that she had walked inside the room. General Bujing was also there, the man to whom her older brother had spoken out of term in a war meeting a long time ago, and he seemed close to falling asleep out of boredom. Commander Gon immediately jumped when the door opened, the man was always on the brink of a nervous breakdown, which made Azula dislike him deeply. The last man in the room was General Mak, another recent addition to the highest ranks of the army, but he was far more focused on his job than on bragging about it, unlike Tsong.

All in all, Azula wasn't comfortable at all amongst these men. Her stern façade didn't acquire any emotion whatsoever when Tao, Bujing and Mak stood up courteously, to her distaste.

"Princess, we weren't briefed you had arrived" said Bujing, smiling

"Clearly, you weren't" she muttered, each word coated with disdain towards the men she was facing as she ignored his question "I don't believe my father will be pleased to hear of your impolite behavior. To leave a woman walk down this icy territory by herself speaks very ill of your manners."

"Oh, please do excuse us, Your Majesty" said Bujing, the most charismatic of them all "We had no notice of your arrival, we were certain you would come by later…"

"Later? You believe I'm not punctual?" she asked, toying with the man's mind and bringing him out of his comfort zone by questioning his every word.

"Of course not, Princess! I wouldn't dream of…"

"Let's address the matter of your disrespectful attitude after the meeting, shall we?" said Azula, walking to the empty chair that waited for her across Admiral Chan "We should get this over with"

"Indeed" stated Chan, who hadn't bothered acknowledging her presence up until now

And as the meeting began, trouble stirred outside the settlement. Behind the mounds of snow that had caught Azula's eye as she headed towards her destination, a group of men clad in Water Tribe armors awaited for the orders of their commanding officer, who kept glancing at the metallic settlement, analyzing it from afar.

"Okay… Listen up, everyone" said Sokka, turning around and facing his men once again "We have to take over the settlement itself first. It should prove really easy, there aren't many guards around, and their powers must have already dwindled since the dark period began yesterday. The same goes to the people inside the settlement and whoever is left taking care of the ships"

"There's a huge one right there" said a teenager, Kattan, pointing at the royal barge that stood out over the other four vessels "Do you think we can take them?"

"If we get our hostages, it won't be as hard as you think" said Sokka, smiling "Alright, then… the plan is very simple. We have to take out the guards, which won't be so hard because we've done it before. All we have to do is be very stealthy about it and it'll go perfectly fine. They could ring an alarm if we get spotted, but maybe they don't have one yet, so it's possible the hostages won't know their meeting is getting hi-jacked until it's too late for them to do anything about it. I'll be the only one to jump into the meeting room, the rest of you make sure you take out all the firebenders. Two on one should do the trick; they won't know what to do if you attack like this"

"Sokka…" interrupted another of his warriors, Haka "Are you sure about all of this? I mean… things might turn out far worse than you think they will… What will we do if the guys in the ships attack us, or if there's more guards inside the settlement?"

"We'll take them out" stated Sokka curtly "They're pretty much powerless at this point, and if they're mostly benders, we'll have the upper hand immediately. Once the outer guards are done for, we'll jump inside and beat up any other Fire Nation soldiers that might be inside. I'll be the one heading into the meeting and I'll secure the hostages quickly"

"How?" asked Haka

Sokka extracted a small gray sphere from his pocket and he showed it to the group

"It's a smoke bomb I designed myself" he said, smirking at his creation "I'll toss it inside the room where the meeting is taking place and in the turmoil I'll secure the hostages one by one"

"You want to go on your own?" asked a boy that admired him deeply, Yuro "That's madness!"

"Well, I don't really need to go alone, but it's going to be pretty dangerous getting involved with Fire Nation big shots. So I think your leader is the one who should do that" he said, smiling

"And what if something goes wrong?" asked Kattan

Sokka sighed and folded his arms as he looked at his men with disbelief

"You guys are worse than my father, you know that?" he grunted "Okay, okay, we'll have a signal just in case we need to break off the operation at some point. If the people from the ships realize there's something wrong and come after us, you guys should…"

"Roar like polar bear-dogs?" suggested Yuro

"Yeah, that should work" said Sokka "Do that if things look hopeless, okay? If you think you can take the guys on and the operation can still carry on, then it will carry on. Now, if something happens to me… I'll do my best to toss this bomb" he showed them a red sphere this time and tucked it into a different pocket "It has red smoke in it. If you see red smoke, you make a run for it. Just leave and make sure you don't turn back, okay?"

"How about if you need back-up?" asked Yuro

"I don't know if I will… but if worse comes to worse I'll make a run for it myself and tell you guys to flee as well by using the bomb. It's really not so difficult if we take out the guards, guys… we can do this. Stop doubting yourselves so much. Who do you think will save this land other than ourselves? Pull it together! Let's get this going and let's give those Fire Nation bastards what they deserve for underestimating us!"

His last words managed to encourage the group. The grimaces in the warriors' faces turned to smiles as they began arranging themselves in the positions they had planned to take to pull off the attack on the guards, spreading around behind the mounds of white snow that worked as their cover. They wouldn't have much time to take out all the sentries, but there were only about ten firebenders and thirty warriors, and considering their opponents were far weaker than they usually were, it seemed the Water Tribe regiment definitely had the upper hand.

They lurked in as close as they could without revealing themselves, still using the snow as cover. Kattan, next to Sokka, muttered

"We really could use a waterbender… we'd take out all those firebenders in a heartbeat and we could move the snow silently and use it as a cover for a little longer…"

"Quit whining" replied Sokka "The only waterbender in our Tribe is Katara and she won't get involved in this as long as I can avoid it. We can take them anyway"

Kattan sighed and nodded. Sokka looked around and caught the eye of his companions before nodding towards them, letting them know the operation would begin now.

Sokka extracted the boomerang he carried so proudly in his broad back and threw it with brilliant aim straight at a guard's head. The weapon struck its target and the man instantly fell to the ground, knocked out with the blow. Boomerang flew a few meters but didn't finish the trajectory back to his owner… still, Sokka didn't fret. He would have a chance to pick up his favorite weapon shortly.

Two guards heard his fallen partner collapse and when they turned to aid him and discover the source of his unconsciousness, Sokka lifted his club up in the air and led the charge towards the firebenders, who took notice of their enemies a bit too late to defend themselves effectively. Following Sokka's orders, four warriors headed to knock out the two sentinels on the very moment more of them spotted the group. To Sokka's pride, his men were very stealthy about their attacks and they managed to break through the petty defenses of the Fire Nation.

But just as Sokka had dreaded, he saw movement in the ships that were anchored only a few yards away. They had been seen, and he wasn't particularly surprised they had, but he had enough time to secure his hostages before the reinforcements arrived. He picked up his boomerang and addressed his two most trusted warriors with a yell.

"Kattan, Haka! I need cover!" and, holding steadily their shields and clubs, his two men obeyed him. The three sprinted towards the entrance of the settlement, in plain sight of the firebenders that stood guard on the upper wall of the structure, and to Sokka's dismay, one of them ran to ring a bell to alert they were being attacked.

Once again, he tossed his boomerang and its sharp edge struck the man on his neck: blood spilled everywhere and he collapsed a few meters before reaching the alarm bell. Sokka caught his boomerang on its trajectory back to him and he gulped at seeing the red liquid coating his weapon, realizing he had just killed a man for the first time in his life… but he would have time to think of his deed later, there were important matters at hand right now. He wiped his boomerang clean with the loose snow on the ground and he turned to his friends once more.

"Take down every guard you see up on that wall! I'm going inside to secure the hostages!" he exclaimed, patting his allies on the shoulder.

Both Kattan and Haka nodded and used their own boomerangs to knock out two other guards that tried to approach the bell, and they ran up the wall to make sure nobody else would touch the bell. If the alarm rang, the hostages might find a way to escape and the whole purpose of the operation was to take those Fire Nation men as prisoners.

Sokka headed straight towards the inner building of the settlement, his mind completely set on what he had to do as he fit a mask to help him breathe and see once he unleashed the bomb…if there were firebenders inside, he would break their skulls with his club, he had no other choice but to do so and he was certain it wouldn't prove much of a challenge anyway, since any firebender that awaited him up ahead would be too weak to defend himself at all…

Or so he believed.

A few minutes before the attack commenced, Azula was fighting the urge to yawn as she witnessed Bujing and Chan arguing like fools, discussing which of the two had been responsible for the conquest of the city of Gaoling. She couldn't believe she was truly forced to witness such pathetic debate…

"… you claim you were so useful, but when you were facing against those earthbending students, your army was thwarted!" yelled Chan

"It's not as if you did any better by hiding amongst your men and waiting for them to do the job for you!" said Buijing

"Did you expect me to be in the frontlines, you idiot?! I'm an ADMIRAL!" he exclaimed

Azula felt a vein in her temple pulse as her eyebrows twitched. She couldn't take any more of this nonsense.

"Gentlemen…" she muttered, surprising the other four men, who had been close to falling asleep due to such fruitless conversation "… may I ask what exactly do you believe you'll accomplish by discussing your failures in Gaoling?"

Both Chan and Buijing stared at her in disbelief, feeling completely insulted. The remaining men couldn't suppress a smirk although they also felt ashamed to see Azula was the only one with enough courage to interrupt the useless discussion.

"Failures? My dear Princess, we did not fail in Gaoling" grunted Buijing "It may have taken months to take down the city, but we accomplished our goal eventually"

Azula didn't bother masking her yawns anymore, to both the arguing men's annoyance, and she tapped the edge of the table with her index finger.

"Let's pretend you really did a good job by taking months to burn down a city that any competent leader would have crushed in half a week…" she said, but before the other two replied, she asked "What does that have to do with our current situation, if I may ask?"

"We are debating to decide who is most capable to lead the destruction of the Water Tribe" said Chan "And judging by the fact that I'm meant to become governor of this place, you should leave the job to me"

"And what exactly is the course of action you're envisioning, Admiral Chan?" asked Azula, raising an inquisitive eyebrow "How will you take over the Water Tribe savages that defy our nation?"

The Admiral was silenced immediately by Azula's words, and her piercing amber stare seemed to dig deep into his soul. Chan gulped, at a loss for words, and Azula sighed.

"I figured as much" she muttered "How about you, Bujing? Do you have anything useful in mind?"

"I believe we should ensure the safety of the settlement first" he said with certainty "And take care of that petty tribe once the next light period begins. It's safer"

"It is, yet I don't see the purpose of waiting so long" said Azula "My father wants the Water Tribe suppressed, and he wants it to happen as soon as possible. There are no pending threats of waterbenders in the Southern Water Tribe, so attacking with firebenders could be useful if the sun was up. But since it's not, the obvious course of action is to assemble non-bender warriors and use them to pummel the savages as quickly as possible. There isn't much left of their Tribe, according to the reports. This could get done in a few weeks; you'd have your region to govern, Admiral Chan, and you can go home fight a war worthy of your titles, General Buijing. Is everyone happy with this course of action?"

The six men in the room were astounded and stared at her in something reminiscent of awe… but they returned to their usual attitudes once they recalled the ideas had come from a female, which apparently diminished the impact of Azula's words.

"And how, exactly, would you have the non-benders attack the Water Tribe?" asked Commander Tsong "Did you think so far already, Princess?"

"Do I have to?" she asked, disdaining him with her glare "I believed I had cleared the pathway so whichever one of you could come up with the rest of the plans, but if you're not competent enough to do so…"

"We aren't incompetent!" yelled Captain Tao, as emotional as ever, his outburst masking the door that creaked behind him. Azula frowned, wondering if the door had been ajar all along… she guessed it must have been, and even if it wasn't she was too busy trashing an insolent captain to care much for the door.

"Then prove it" grunted Azula "Or are you, by any chance, so intimidated by the Water Tribe savages' prowess that you're unable to find a ploy useful enough to obliterate them for good?"

"None of that!" said Tao, apparently forgetting who he was dealing with "I'm more than able to beat up anything the Water Tribe has to offer!"

But his words proved to be hollow if nothing else. Because at that very moment, his statement was tested and the squeal he uttered when the smoke started to spread in the room showed he was clearly unworthy of his position as Captain.

Azula felt dumb to have ignored her instincts. Of course the door hadn't been ajar before.

The smoke came out with a loud bang from the bomb and the six men jumped immediately, paranoid and desperate, searching for the culprit and crashing against each other as they did. Azula dropped to the ground instantly, discovering the bomb responsible for the smoke was only a few inches away from her. And, on the threshold, amongst the dark gas that was befogging the room, she saw boots made of some sort of animal skin she couldn't recognize. She didn't need to see more to realize the Water Tribe hadn't wasted their time and had already orchestrated an attack upon them on the first days of the dark period…

Oh, so foolish of them. Had they only been a little more patient she would have been back home and they would have only dealt with six useless soldiers… but they had chosen their own demise. And Azula had no problem on being the one to deliver their doom.

The boots moved, stepping inside the room and Azula was certain the owner of said shoes was about to slay them all or to usher an announcement about the group being his prisoners…

"Don't move!" yelled a man's voice "If you cooperate, things will be a lot easier for you all! You're all becoming hostages of the Water Tribe now!"

So kidnapping it was. Azula wasn't so bugged by the smoke that she couldn't let out a small chuckle of disbelief. This man had to be kidding…

"How dare you?! You shall pay for what you're…!" said General Mak, but the warrior interrupted him

"Be quiet and do as I say or else…!" yelled the kidnapper, and he was also interrupted, but not by words this time.

An array of blue fire he hadn't foreseen struck his boots and forced him back into the hallway, collapsing as he tried to shake off the flames that were dancing on his feet.

Sokka saw a shadow move towards him while he smacked his smoking boots, since the feeling of fire still clung to them. He frowned as the figure became far more defined and he identified another blue flame dancing in the hand of the person that had forced him to jump backwards.

"Or else, what?" said a feminine voice, to his dismay. He stood up again and held his club high, hoping his enemy could see he was armed and willing to attack, no matter who he was dealing with

"Stay back or I'll break your head" he said, and his opponent laughed at him.

"I would love to see you try" muttered the woman. Because it really sounded like a woman… or was it a very girly man? He wished for the latter, since beating a girl up wasn't part of his plans…

But it became an essential part of them when she proved she had no reserves about attacking him, throwing an amazing fire ball straight at his face. Could she see him despite not having a mask like his? He didn't know and he didn't wish to know either. He saw the blow coming, ducked and made a run for it, absolutely aghast. How come this person seemed to firebend without any difficulty whatsoever even though the sun was gone? Was she so powerful that this was only half of her skill? It seemed unlikely, but it was the only plausible explanation he could come up with as he ran, chased away by blue fire.

Azula walked into the hallway and took deep breaths once she found clean air. She had been able to withstand the smoke, but it had damaged her system slightly. She continued rinsing her lungs as she saw her two royal guards, the ones that had been standing by the door, passed out on the floor, probably due to overwhelming blows to the head. She saw the Water Tribe warrior sprint away and toss another smoke bomb in her direction, probably trying to lure her outside so he could take her on with his warrior friends… oh, he would regret that deeply. No plain Water Tribe warrior could cross blows with her and come out of the strife unharmed. She took a deep breath when the smoke began spreading from the new bomb and she ran after the warrior, who had already exited the building and was yelling something at his allies.

"Haka! Kattan!" yelled Sokka, taking his gas mask off and dumping it to the ground. He flailed his arms at the men who had already climbed up the walls where Fire Nation guards had been standing before getting knocked into unconsciousness by the current occupants of the wall, and he caught their eye immediately.

"What's the matter?" asked Haka "Please tell me you already caught all the hostages!"

"I didn't!" admitted Sokka "There's a weird firebender here that doesn't seem affected even if there's no sun! She even ushers out blue flames! I lured her out here, help me take her out or else we won't get any hostages at all!"

"W-wait… did you say 'she'?" asked Kattan, shocked.

"Indeed, that's what he said"

Sokka turned towards the entrance of the building, from where there was some smoke from his second bomb pouring outside. The blurred shape he hadn't been able to discern earlier was walking towards him again, and now he could see the curves on the body, realizing it was definitely a woman. Kattan and Haka frowned and raised their boomerangs when they saw the silhouette exit the building, unwilling to weaver in their intentions even if they were to face a female.

And Azula wouldn't have wanted it any other way. A smirk played in her face as she finally walked outside the cloud of smoke, standing in plain sight now.

Sokka couldn't believe he found the firebending woman to be a striking beauty. But he blinked a few times to break the spell she seemed to unleash on his senses and he reminded himself of all the damage the Fire Nation had done. Who cared if there was a beautiful woman among them? She was surely as cruel as the rest of the men…

Well, he was wrong about that. She was far crueler than any of them, of course.

"Stay back and we won't hurt you" grunted Sokka, the blaze on his eyes proving he wouldn't hold back against her.

Azula smirked at the ferocious glare of the savage, feeling actual joy to be facing against a man who seemed to hate her all the same as he would hate any regular man from the Fire Nation. How wrong was it for her to feel glad to see he made no distinction among them? She didn't know, but the pride she felt to see she would finally be fighting against a man as equals was immeasurable.

"I'm afraid I'm not the type to fall back after such pointless threats, savage" she said, the smirk still growing on her face "You believed you could hold us all as hostages inside the settlement… and you almost achieved your goal, but your luck was against you today. Because if I hadn't been inside, you probably would have caught those useless minions of my father's… but I happened to be there too. And I will not hesitate to bring you down if you're stupid enough to defy me"

"Oh, I'm stupid alright" said Sokka, gripping his boomerang in one hand and his club on another "But I think I have the upper hand here. You're completely outnumbered. Surrender and you won't get hurt"

"I'm outnumbered?" she repeated in disbelief "Do you truly believe that? There's an entire battalion of royal guards aboard my barge, and I'm certain they've already caught wind of what you petty savages are attempting to do here. They'll come tear your group apart in a matter of minutes; that is, if I'm not done killing you all before they get here"

Sokka would have laughed at the idea and thrown another threat back at the girl, but her words started to piece together in his mind slowly. Her father's minions… the royal guards… no way. He wasn't dealing with the Fire Lord's daughter… or was he?

"Well? Are you going to withdraw quietly into your huts again or would you rather have me kill you and your friends right now?" asked Azula.

"You're… you can't be…" said Sokka, taking a few steps back "You're… who the hell are you?"

Azula sighed dramatically but smiled once again as she took a more recommendable fighting stance

"I don't see why you need such knowledge, since I couldn't care less about who you are… but I do understand that I've impressed you enough for your dying wish to be to discover my identity" she said, obfuscating Sokka due to her arrogance.

"Stop jumping to conclusions, you…" he growled, but she ignored his mumbling completely as she answered his question

"I am Princess Azula, heir to the throne of the Fire Nation"

Sokka didn't react in any other way than by snarling at her, while Kattan and Haka stepped back, terrified. The plan might have been to catch hostages at first… but to catch the Fire Princess? If they managed to accomplish something like that, which seemed unlikely, all the armed forces of the Fire Nation would head down to their tribe and obliterate it until there was nothing left but blocks of ice…

"S-Sokka…" said Haka "We have to…"

"I know" growled Sokka, who had come to the same conclusion himself "I know…"

"Oh, so now you're willing to stand back? I thought you were far more resilient than that, savage" she said, teasing his ego cruelly. Sokka's expression didn't change.

"You wish I were about to step back, just like every moron of the Fire Nation that has probably stepped back and let you get your way…" he muttered, his defiant attitude wasn't a surprise for her

"They don't step down as easily as you imagine, actually" she said, smirking

"Don't they? I guess they were probably too busy looking at your… a-at… y-your blue fire to let you get away with whatever you were doing" he finished, trying to save face, but Azula raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him

"Excuse me? Looking at my what, exactly?"

"I… I just said it, didn't I?! Your blue fire!" he said, blushing despite the deadly circumstances

Azula was a leaning slightly towards letting the brat live due to his courage to face against her, but the last comment set her off completely. Her smirk was replaced by a grimace as she set her hands on her hips

"Oh, my blue fire" she repeated, infuriated "You really are nothing but an uncivilized buffoon, aren't you? And you're a pervert to boot…"

"I'm not a pervert!" yelled Sokka "Stop twisting my words to your liking, woman!"

"To my liking?! Do you think I want a moron such as yourself to go around taking a look at my…?"

"At your WHAT, exactly?" asked Sokka, defiant

"At… my blue fire" she muttered, enraged, and Sokka took another step back. The temperature was probably the same it had been all along, but somehow Sokka felt his body heat rise unbearably as he exchanged verbal blows with the Princess, blows that had slowly developed into something utterly unexpected… was Azula controlling the temperature with her firebending skills, or was the heat truly being produced by his embarrassment? Could firebenders control the weather in any way? He rather doubted it, but it would make reality much more bearable if he believed that…

"O-okay… let's focus on the issue at hand…" he said "You don't seem to be willing to cooperate by becoming a hostage, but I'm not walking out of here empty-handed. So… it's kill-or-die, I guess"

"It's only 'die' for you, savage" she growled, and he lifted both his weapons

"The name's Sokka, by the way"

"As if I cared to know your name in the first place" she grunted, and seeing how he was getting ready to attack, she decided to strike first.

She lifted her leg with ease and kicked a blue fire blast straight at Sokka. After the strange innuendo from just now, Sokka jumped out the way of the fire but stared at it, feeling like a fool. What the hell had he been trying to say when he had said something so dumb?

Azula forced him to return to reality when she lifted two fire-coated fists and aimed the strikes at his head. Sokka was surprised to see her fire wasn't as strong as he feared, since he managed to swipe both blows away with his club, which only heated up a little after the contact with the fire. Azula frowned at the sight and figured she would need to use far more strength on this battle than she originally planned to. She struck another fire kick, a very potent one, and Sokka was forced to roll on the floor to avoid getting hurt. He tossed his boomerang at her, but she knocked it off course with her fist, and the weapon collapsed on the floor. Still, he took the chance to lunge at her with his club, determined to strike her and knock her unconscious. He knew the consequences of kidnapping the Fire Lord's daughter… but he believed that if he took charge of the situation properly, his tribe might end up favored despite the circumstances...

But he was being extremely naïve by believing Azula was so easy to knock down. She spun around when he swung the club at her and she used her feet to trip him. Sokka performed a barrel-roll and jumped on his feet again, picking up his boomerang and attempting to strike Azula's shoulder with it. The Princess avoided the blow but delivered an uppercut straight at Sokka's jaw, making him bite his tongue in the process. He stumbled forward as Azula smirked cruelly. Sokka spat and his blood stained the formerly pure white snow, the pain he felt in his mouth was beyond anything he'd experienced so far… and to think she didn't even use fire on that blow. If she caught him again, he was probably a goner…

"Sokka!" yelled Kattan, as he and Haka ran towards their leader, but Sokka lifted an arm signaling for them to stop on their tracks.

He couldn't believe it had come to this. All his plans thwarted by a damned Princess… He knew his plans weren't even that brilliant, but they could have worked. They had the upper hand on everything… and now, even if he managed to outsmart Azula, he probably would end up on the losing end when the time came for bargains over her rescue. Indeed, the Fire Lord might even present himself in the South Pole to melt it down unless his daughter was returned safe and sound… that is, if Azula didn't sneak off on her own first. She looked like the feisty type to him…

She was more than he could handle, no matter how much he hated to admit this to himself. How would he face his father when he told him how badly the mission had gone? Would the Chief of the Tribe be ashamed to call him his son for such failure? Well… there was still something he could do for his friends, even for himself. If they couldn't win, then at least they could return home and come back some day when that damned royal barge wasn't docked in the shore anymore. He would live to fight another day, and so would his men…

Azula frowned when she saw Sokka pick up another smoke bomb, and she smirked

"Another one of those? Is it, by any chance, filled with a volatile gas? It'd better be. It's the sole way you might defeat me" she said, smirking

"That sounds interesting" he mumbled, though his jaw begged him not to say another word "So it means the best way to beat a firebender is to drive their fire out of their control…?"

"Indeed, but I think I just proved I need no fire to defeat you" she muttered, smirking "You should feel ashamed a woman can beat you so easily…"

"Ashamed?" he repeated "The sole shame I could feel… is not being able to protect my men from the likes of you and your nation. You could be a platypus bear for all I care… being a woman has nothing to do with it"

Azula's eyes widened after hearing his words. He didn't diminish her for being a woman… not even in the slightest. It hardly mattered to her that he had claimed he hated her nation altogether; women or not, it was the same for him… he had stated it had nothing to do with her being a woman.

And as she allowed the words sink into her, Sokka took a last glance at his allies and flashed them his trademark crooked and confident smile. Both teenagers stared at the bomb in his hands in disbelief, recognizing the meaning of Sokka's actions… they had dreaded it would come to this the second the woman identified herself. And they couldn't do anything but watch as their leader threw the bomb to the floor, signaling all his allies to surrender when the read smoke spread quickly through the air.

Azula returned to reality when she was immersed in the red cloud, and she knew she had to catch at least just Sokka before he managed to escape, since he probably had realized there was no way his men could triumph in these conditions.

Haka and Kattan ran down the wall and ran outside the settlement, yelling at all their allies to retreat. The warriors outside had witnessed the red smoke spreading upwards and they did nothing but stare at it in disbelief, not understanding what circumstances could have forced Sokka to order them to flee.

"Move, you morons!" yelled Haka, pushing the others towards their village "Retreat! Retreat now!"

"Where's Sokka?!" yelled Yuro, who had been about to sprint for his life until he realized their leader was nowhere in sight.

"He'll be with us shortly, but we have to run!" screamed Kattan "Believe in him!"

"I won't leave him behind!" said Yuro, in denial "We have to stay and wait for him!"

"NO!" said Haka, his blue eyes blazing ferociously "We can't stay! Nobody can stay, or else we're all doomed!"

Kattan turned towards the ships and, with dismay, saw how a group of men clad in red robes were headed towards the settlement. They surely had seen the turmoil and the smoke… and they were going to capture them all if they didn't run now.

"We have to… guys, we really have to run!" he said, pointing at their enemies

Yuro seemed to fall into even more despair when he saw what was happening

"B-but Sokka…"

"He's strong, he's our leader" said Haka, determined "He'll make it through, I'm sure! But for now, we have to run! He'll be back with us soon, you'll see!"

Yuro was forced to nod and obey his superior officer, and Kattan took it upon himself to guide the rest of the warriors back into the snowy terrains they knew so well. He took a last glance at the settlement once there were several yards between them and the Fire Nation base, and he hoped to see a figure sprinting through the snow towards them…

Sokka struggled within the red smoke, not entirely certain of where he was going, but hoping that eventually, he would be outside the cloud and he would be running after his friends…

But all hope vanished when he felt the strong grip of a hand with long nails wrapped around the back of his neck. The nails clawed at his skin, blood dripping from the injuries, and he was forced to the floor by the owner of said hand, who he had no difficulty placing at all. The cold snow did nothing to appease him as he struggled to escape Azula's grip, but the woman had extraordinary strength, and she held him down with her knee pressed against his back. Sokka used his club to strike her in the arm, forcing her to withdraw her hand or end up with a broken bone, and he used the opportunity to get her off him by twirling in the ground. He made another run for it, but he could hear her footsteps behind him, and it didn't take too long for Azula to catch up to him again.

This time she lit up her feet with fire and she kicked him on the back, scorching his clothes, to her satisfaction. The red smoke was fading slowly and she saw him crawl in the floor as he tried to regain his stance somehow, but the flames that still danced on his back forced him to turn around and choke the fire; as he did, he looked up at the dark sky. It was the dark period… and yet he had failed… the thought kept repeating itself on his mind as everything in front of him grew clearer and clearer… and once again, the hands with those fearsome claws gripped the front of his shirt, lifting him upwards.

He could see Azula's features clearly, and despite how beautiful she was, all he wanted to do was bend her skull inwards with the club that he still held on his hand…

"So… Sokka is your name, isn't it?" she said, smirking "Make sure you remember the day you underestimated Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, Sokka"

Sokka lifted his club, enraged, but she threw him upwards and struck his abdomen after coating her right hand with fire, delivering a blow with the sufficient strength to break through his armor and burn directly his skin, marking his body with both her knuckles and her fire. Sokka's breath left him instantly, his club collapsed on the ground and he followed shortly, panting and cringing at the unbearable pain.

Azula stared at the man with slight contempt, feeling proud and superior. She hadn't even broken a sweat and now he was twitching amongst the snow, still coughing blood as he covered his burn with his hands, his face contorted with pain. She could deliver the finishing blow and save him from suffering, but she didn't want to… she enjoyed watching him in agony, well, watching anyone in agony for that matter. But then she recalled how he hadn't undermined her for being a woman… and her sadistic joy vanished immediately.

He was the only man so far who hadn't diminished her… the only one proud and brave enough to stand up to her even when he knew he couldn't win. She had to acknowledge he was worthy of praise… and worthy to fight her another day, perhaps, if he was ever up to the challenge.

Her royal guards finally arrived to see her looking down on the shivering man on the ground. Three firebenders took a stance to strike him, but she raised her eyes towards them and said:

"Wait"

The man in the middle seemed puzzled even though his face was covered with a mask.

"Princess, he is a threat to your safety…"

"If he were, he wouldn't be squirming on the ground as he is" she stated, silencing her own guards "I want this man to live"

The statement took everyone aback, even Sokka, who had already discarded his life. Was she going to let him get away with everything? Why would she, though? Was there some sort of compassionate person beneath those layers of arrogance and power?

"W-what will we do with him, then?" asked one of the guards, surprised.

"He will be taken to the mainland" decided Azula "He's bound to be a good slave"

Sokka wanted to slap himself for being so dumb. How could he have believed the woman would be merciful? She was her father's daughter, after all. She must have known he would rather be dead than serve the Fire Nation… and thus she decided to force the second option upon him. He truly would have preferred to drop dead than become their servant…

"It will be done" said the guards at unison, and without any kindness whatsoever, they lifted Sokka and carried him away.

Azula saw the figures shrinking in the distance, taking one last glance at the man who had dared defy her. She hoped he had learned the lesson, and she hoped said lesson would be transmitted through all the Fire Nation, so that even the military figures that used to think lowly of her would realize she had saved the settlement and caught the leader of the Southern Water Tribe's resistance… so that they would understand, for once and for all, that she was not to be underestimated.

Because she was Princess Azula, heir to the throne of the Fire Nation.

* * *

Katara stared on towards the horizon once more, waiting… just waiting. On this occasion, though, she wasn't alone. Her father stood next to her, wondering when his son would come home… if he was to return at all.

Shapes began materializing afar, and the two of them stared in hopes to identify the Water Tribe's outfits… and to their relief, the people approaching were clad in gray armors and blue cloth. But Katara frowned when she didn't see a burly and tall figure outshining the rest of them…

Hakoda's heart sank when he saw the expressions on the faces of the warriors. He knew the truth now… and he realized he should have been harsher on his son. He shouldn't have let him undertake such perilous mission.

"S-Sokka… Where is…?" mumbled Katara, walking towards Haka.

The teenager didn't even bother looking her in the eye, tilting his head down in shame.

"I'm sorry…" was all he could say, and indeed, it was the worst he could have said.

Katara's eyes widened in horror as she shook her head, her entire body shivering and not because of the cold.

"N-no… n-no… i-it can't be…" she said, tears escaping her eyes before she was even aware of it "NO! W-where is he?! SOKKA! NO!"

She was about to break in a sprint towards the Fire Nation settlement where she had lost her brother, but Hakoda grasped her by the wrist and held her back. Katara's tears kept trailing down her cheeks as she yelled:

"LET GO OF ME! LET GO OF ME!"

"I'm not going to let go" said Hakoda, tears dripping from his eyes as well as he embraced his daughter despite her struggle to set herself free from his grasp "You're the only thing I have left now… I won't ever let go of you, Katara."

Katara was beyond reasoning, though. Eventually she would come to the same conclusion her father had reached, but right now, grief had taken over her entire being and she couldn't do anything but cry, wondering if she would at least get to see her brother's dead body, or if the Fire Nation would be merciful and let him live, by chance… oh, she was fooling herself. There was no way that could happen… her brother was gone, and all she could do was mourn his memory, promising him she would never forget about him. Promising she wouldn't give up to the Fire Nation, in the way he had refused to surrender. Promising that she would fight making use of her waterbending skills, to force those monsters out of their territory.

The sole rational thought in her head, amongst all the pain and sadness, was that she would honor her brother's memory, no matter what.

**So… a pretty long chapter, huh? The next ones aren't bound to be this large, but hopefully you guys won't be bothered by the length seeing how things developed after this chapter ^^ I'm starting to feel like I should change the rating to M right away since Sokka killed a guy and all… what do you think? Should I, or shouldn't I? Sorry for taking a little more time to update this in comparison to my lightning updates in The Reason and The Origins of Pro-Bending, seems like I'm supposed to have a life outside writing 24/7… I don't want to, but I'm forced to TTwTT so sorry if I make you guys wait too much! I'll do my best to update often! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**THE RATING ON THIS FIC HAS BEEN CHANGED TO M! SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCES! I hope this doesn't bother anyone much, but this chapter has a handful of allusions to some, uh… unsavory activities, I guess, and I don't think it's safe to consider it a T anymore even though nothing far off limits has been described in details… yet. Since I know I have several readers that don't enjoy the craziness, I will be posting warnings on each chapter so that you can skip over said chapter if you don't want to engage in topics that only overage people should read about ^^U I do hope you continue reading this fic despite this change! If you do, thanks for sticking with me ^^ if not, thanks for reading so far! ^^**_

Sand. Dirt. Heat. Blood.

No longer could he recall the feel of snow under his feet. The cold environment he had been born and raised in had been deadly, but within said danger, he had felt comfortable, at ease… at home.

But he was far from home now. He had been far away for two long years already, and he could hardly remember his grandmother's face, his sister's voice, his father's embrace… his father. Was he disappointed in him? Had he been glad not to see him return home because he believed he had learned his lesson? He wanted to believe his father missed him… but it was so unlikely, so undeserved. He had asked for this himself, hadn't he? Hakoda had warned him, told him he knew nothing of the wages of war… and he ignored him. He had been too cocky, too arrogant to think he could lose…

And so, he lost. And against that blasted Princess, to boot.

Her face haunted his every nightmare; it was extremely ironic he couldn't recall the faces of his family and friends, but his enemy's features were always there, teasing him, asking if he had already learned what his place in the world was…

He shook his head and closed his eyes, deciding he would rather think of the Water Tribe than of that evil woman…

He kept holding on to the hopes that his tribe still stood strong because he figured it was likely he would have seen someone familiar in the mainland by now if the Fire Nation had achieved the conquering of the frozen tundra. Well, it was possible they had been completely merciless, leaving no survivors… but if that was the case he would have heard the rumors, wouldn't he? For all he knew, the Fire Nation was still boasting about taking over the Air Nomads and Earth Kingdom, and he had heard nothing about either of the Water Tribes so far… It was likely the Northern Water Tribe had managed to stand their ground, they were better prepared for battle than the people down at the South Pole… but he had heard most the armed forces of the Fire Nation were up north, attempting to seize control. Why, though, hadn't they moved down South already? He wasn't leading his people anymore; he doubted anyone was… unless either Haka or Kattan had taken over his position…

If they were still alive, that is. He didn't know if Princess Azula had sent out her men to pursue and chase down the rest of the warriors. Judging by how ruthless the woman had seemed to be, he wouldn't be surprised if she had. It was likely the Southern Water Tribe had been vanquished…

But all he could do was hold on to the hopes that it still stood strong somehow, resisting the abusive power of the Fire Nation… it was all he could hold on to, as a matter of fact. It was the only thing that kept him from using his own boomerang to slit his throat…

After being taken away from his people, he had been thrown into Azula's royal barge, although he didn't get to see her again in the entire trip. She probably had forgotten he was on her vessel altogether… He was shipped off to the mainland, just as she commanded, and upon his arrival he was thrown into an internment camp amongst other people who resisted the Fire Nation's authority, most of them Earth Kingdom people who had refused to join the Honorary Fire Nation Citizen system… Sokka wasn't even offered the chance to enter said system, but he wouldn't have taken it even if he had been given said opportunity. The Honorary Fire Nation citizens were people who had been born to the other nations but had accepted the government of the Fire Nation as their own. As a reward for not resisting, they were given the chance to live almost at the same level as regular Fire Nation people, despite having to deal with the insults and diminishing of the original Fire Nation citizens, but their rights were almost even. There were earthbenders in the Fire Nation's army now, and even some of the former Earth Kingdom noblemen had retained their titles after swearing fealty to the Fire Lord…

Sokka wouldn't deny it was a convenient bargain for both the Fire Nation leaders and Earth Kingdom citizens... but he would never ever give up on his nationality, one of the few things he still had left, just to live a more comfortable life. Well, he hadn't been offered the chance anyhow, but if he had been, he would have refused to accept it and spitted on the face of whoever asked him to be an Honorary Fire Nation citizen. The mere thought of it fueled him with rage…

And so he was measured and weighed by Fire Nation officials, the ones in charge of setting the slaves into different classes. Some were set up for sale to become direct servants to whoever wanted to pay for them, others were shipped off to the households of important noblemen: no payment was offered for them whatsoever. Some of these were even shipped off to work at the Fire Lord's service, if they seemed promising enough to serve Royalty. Some other slaves, the female ones, were forced to undertake some very distasteful activities, mostly involving pleasing men who paid for their services. Some slaves were found completely useless and were sent to the executioner… and some were found strong enough to enter another category of service: the gladiators.

To Sokka's surprise, he had been casted into the last category, and he was more than thrilled to see the guards returning his weapons to him, the ones he had been forced to relinquish upon his capture. But to his dismay, he was informed that his new duty would be to entertain people through the most outrageous and irrational idea that the Fire Nation had come up with up to date. Sure they were deadly and heartless before, but this was, by far, the worst of all tortures, proof of how little humanity was left in the hearts of the Fire Nation people.

Gladiator fights consisted on confronting two slaves with the weapons of their choice in a brutal and deadly combat, where the loser paid the price with his life and the winner had a chance to fight on another day against a new opponent. The fights took place in an arena, an arid perimeter coated by sand; the glow of the sun shone upon it on every battle. The stands on the arena Sokka fought in (there were several combat grounds throughout the Fire Nation) were rustic and made of wood, they couldn't contain more than two hundred people. At times the stands were full, at times they were almost completely empty, but regardless, the gladiators had to fight to the best of their ability under the midday sun, since all battles took place when the celestial orb was in its zenith. Why? Sokka assumed it was when the Fire Nation people felt most empowered or maybe they wanted to witness the fighters wear themselves out completely since the sun's glow was merciless at that time of the day… but he didn't actually know why. It really didn't matter much, since he was too busy trying to survive to care for such matters.

None of the gladiators had been trained to make the fights more interesting, watching them despair as they tried to survive was far more appealing to the sadistic people that enjoyed the combats. Often Sokka heard that the Superior League of gladiators was far kinder to its participants and the battles didn't end based on who died and who lived, at least, not always. Truth to be told he had no idea how those fights concluded, but apparently having a sponsor made reality far more bearable for gladiators, despite they were still nothing but slaves.

Sokka didn't think having a sponsor made much of a difference... he hated being a gladiator altogether. Ever since he was thrown in the pit for the first time he had loathed everything about this job... on his first combat he had faced against a massive man who had a huge spear, a heavy sword and an axe as weapons. He managed to outsmart him after discerning his weak spots and he knocked his rival out... and even though he was sure it would be enough, it wasn't. To his disgust, he was ordered by the man who ran the arena to slay his opponent, no matter if his rival was clearly out of it. Sokka had refused, but then he had been threatened by both the crowd and the owner of the arena that if he wouldn't kill the guy, the dead body would be his. Completely disgusted with himself, he slammed his opponent's head with his club: blood splattered all over the sand, the red liquid had attached to his clothes and stained his very soul.

He cried himself to sleep that night, wondering what had he done to deserve such a fate. His rival on the arena might have been a man not too different from himself, trying to survive in whichever manner possible to return to a family that believed him dead... and now he really was dead. And not by the hands of a Fire Nation soldier, not by execution after rebelling against the heartless regime of this country... no, he had died to a man with no more rights to survive than his own.

The more thought he gave to his new job, the more he grew to hate it and to hate himself for not standing up against the chains weighing him down. He had underestimated the Fire Nation and he was too scared of death to let his life slip through his fingers, to give up the fight and allow any of his rivals to slay him. Looking at himself from another perspective, he was simply pathetic. Worthless and undeserving even of the life he had obtained.

Several times he had been on the brink of death while facing fighters far more skilled than himself... but the very second he realized he was about to lose his life, his mind began flashing him images of the past, the reasons why he had to strive for survival even in the direst times of his life: he had to return to his family, to hug his sister and promise her he would never leave her again... to apologize to his father and acknowledge he had been nothing but a fool...

And one day, be it now or whenever, he would fulfill his worst enemy's desire to fight him on another day. The next time he faced her, he would be ready. The next time it would be him staring down on her weak and pathetic figure struggling to recover her breath on the ground... it would be him the one to spare her life in fake mercy to only unleash upon her a hell beyond her imagination...

And to fulfill all these things, he had to live somehow, even if it meant to kill all his fellow gladiators to achieve that purpose. Although it was easier said than done...

Gladiators didn't make friends, they didn't stand together to support each other... because the very moment you became acquaintances with someone, you were condemning whatever union you could form with them. Huang Li, the man who ran the gladiator business in the Fire Nation town of Hui Yi, kept a close watch upon every gladiator, for the sole purpose of providing entertainent to his crowd by forcing two friends to kill each other on the arena. He was heartless, only caring about the incomes the fights supplied him with. If he was feeling particularly kind and he had accomplished a full-house sale, he would hire a group of women from the nearby whorehouse so that they would take the worries out of the minds of his warriors by making use of their skills in bed, but this was still heartless towards the two different kinds of slaves; both gladiators and prostitutes hated their jobs with all their hearts, and surprisingly often they didn't engage in mundane activities, they preferred to simply sit next to each other as they reminisced the past times when everything was better…

There was no top dog, no man foolish enough to bully another. They were all deeply conflicted, they all missed the lives they had led before getting caught by the Fire Nation and gotten this lifestyle imposed upon them. No one wanted to try to earn enemies just as they refused to make friends, because by the end the day, they might not even be alive anymore. Whatever relationship was developed between them was, simply put, pointless.

Around six battles were fought each day; most of them took place at broad daylight. Rainy days were most welcome by any of the gladiators since they meant nobody would perish then, although it also meant Huang Li would be on a terrible mood. He was heartless indeed: no job was more suitable for a man like him than to administer the deadly business of the gladiators.

The sun was quite high when Sokka was summoned by Huang Li to head into combat today. The barracks where the gladiators lived were an old and musty building; there was no distinguishing the rooms where the combatants slept, since there were no rooms at all. In the center of the building stood a fireplace where their meals were cooked by whoever Huang Li felt like forcing the job upon. Sokka would always lie down far from the fire, he had grown to hate the element with more passion than ever during the past few years, but he also liked to spend his time on the coldest corners of the building because at times, if he wished for it hard enough, he could imagine he was back home...

"Hey, Dumberang" called him Huang Li "Time to hit the sand. You're up against Ching today"

Sokka didn't even bother to correct the way Huang Li addressed him, he had grown used to getting called Dumberang by this man... and he didn't want him to call him by his name. There were a few things he hadn't relinquished to the Fire Nation, his name being one of them. To think of getting called by his name by any of these monstrous people revolted him... also, his name was another relic of the home he had lost so long ago. He only reminded himself of it when he needed to remember his purpose of returning to the South Pole, of defeating Princess Azula some day...

He took his weapons without saying a word - he could hardly recall the sound of his own voice. Huang Li led the way towards the arena and Sokka followed, his brow contracted as he filled himself with determination: whoever stood in his way would fall, no matter what story existed behind their eyes. Whatever he did, he would do for the sake of returning home.

By the time they reached the arena he could hear the roar of the crowd; judging by the sound there had to be about a hundred people out there at least. Huang Li would be pleased. His weapons in hand, he walked into the sandy enclosure with his heart beating wildly as he entered the arena to face a battle from which he might not survive...

Azula tried her best to stay calm as she strode down the hallway, her feet carrying her towards her room with her usual powerful strides. All the servants that saw her cowered in fear at the sight… The Princess was already terrifying when she was in a good mood, but right now she looked mad enough to murder whoever stood in her way. And she was, although she only wanted to kill one man, or perhaps two, and their identities were pretty specific. Killing a mere servant wouldn't help her solve her problem, even though murdering somebody might just help her release her fury…

She slammed the door of her room as soon as she was inside, and she finally felt free to unleash her rage. She uttered a few cries and roars of anger as she recalled the decision her father had reached on the meeting that had ended just a few minutes ago… the thought made her entire body shiver in rage and she let out another howl of wrath, this time accompanied by the blue fire that escaped her throat along with her wails.

Oh, how she regretted not having cleared everything up when she had the chance… if only had she told her father that Admiral Chan had lied when he claimed he had single-handedly dealt with the Water Tribe warriors that attacked the settlement… she had ignored the way he had stolen all the credit from her because she found it irrelevant to reveal the truth. The men in the settlement knew Chan had lied, they were perfectly aware that Azula was the one they owed their lives to… Chan himself knew it well enough, but to avoid getting his titles stripped off him for his incompetence and to ensure he would govern over the South Pole once they conquered it, he had claimed he was the one who had saved the group from the kidnapping. Azula had taken a few detours before returning to the Capital, one of them to drop off the Southern Water Tribe warrior she had brought as a slave to the Fire Nation, and when she finally presented herself in front of her father, he seemed glad to see she was fine and told her they owed Admiral Chan for keeping her safe. The infamous man was there and he had the guts to smirk at her, letting her realize her father hadn't misunderstood a thing: he simply had been lied to.

She didn't care particularly about who took the credit for beating the Water Tribe savage to a pulp, it wasn't something important at all. But she had felt she had a certain power upon Chan, since she was well aware of the truth, and if her father knew about the story behind what happened at the settlement, Chan would pay a dire price for his deceit… but two years had passed, and her threat upon the man had grown weaker both in her head and in reality since the events from the South Pole became fainter and less relevant over time… and all of sudden, Chan turned the tables and abused his power in this disgusting manner… she felt like hiring an assassin to take him out, but she refused to do so because she wanted to be the one responsible for spilling his blood all over the place, his blood and the blood of that disgusting son of his…

A knock sounded at the door. She glared at it with such rage that she half expected the wooden plank to set on fire when she headed to open it.

"What?!" she snapped to a servant who fell to the ground in reverence, trembling.

"L-Lady Mai and Lady Ty Lee have arrived, Princess…" he muttered, terrified. He had been warned that she wasn't in a good mood, but he had a duty to fulfill… but on these circumstances, it might just be the last time he fulfilled anything at all.

Azula's eyebrow twitched when she heard the news and she shook her head in denial.

"What are they here for? I'm not in the mood for visitors! They should drop by on the days when I expressly ask for their presence!"

"B-but y-you did, Princess…" muttered the man

Azula frowned as she realized the servant was right; today was the usual day of the week when she reunited with her two friends. She let out another groan of despair, flapping her arms in irritation and resting her hands on her hips as she wondered if she should simply send the two girls home and tell them to meet her again next week… but she sighed, rolled her eyes and gestured the servant to get out of her way, which he did in a heartbeat as Azula walked down the hall to meet her friends.

Ty Lee was kneeling next to Mai, who was sitting down on a couch, by the time Azula entered the room where they usually met, and she was muttering a few things to her friend's womb. Naturally, Mai stared at her with a skeptical look on her face.

"Who is the cutest baby in the world even if he's not born yet?" asked Ty Lee, making Mai sigh.

"I don't think he can hear you" muttered Mai, irritated.

"What are you doing, Ty Lee?" asked Azula, making her presence known. Her foul mood surprising both girls: they were used to seeing Azula suffering from strange mood swings once in a while, but when she was truly upset she was definitely not fun to hang with…

"I was just talking to… are you okay, Azula?" she asked, not even wondering if she was getting herself into a dangerous position by asking this question.

Naturally, the query made Azula frown even more than before as she walked inside the room, heading towards the window to catch some fresh air, hoping to calm down through breathing so that she wouldn't end up venting her stress on her friends.

"How's the pregnancy coming along, Mai?" she asked, attempting to change the subject even though she was unable to forget about it altogether.

"Everything's fine, I'm only on my fourth month, though…" said Mai, but she was also eyeing Azula with concern.

"Good" muttered Azula, still glaring at the horizon, her mind clearly anywhere but within the four walls that stood around her.

"Azula…?" asked Ty Lee again, forcing the Princess to frown once again.

"What?" she said, turning to face her friend, her enraged eyes trying to send a message that clearly spelled 'Quit pestering me'.

"There's something wrong with you" said Ty Lee, staring at her with genuine concern "I've known you for long enough to realize something like that"

Azula's frown deepened and she folded her arms as she replied

"Your mind-reading skills amaze me, Ty Lee. I should give you an award since you can tell something bothers me, it's so prodigious of yours to notice my annoyance…"

"I… I don't appreciate the sarcasm, you know?" muttered the girl, a little flustered

"Indeed, you don't and neither do I" grunted Azula, confusing Ty Lee "You can tell something bothers me, yet you pester me about telling you what it is that bothers me when explaining this is the last thing I want to do"

"Well, for all you know it might help if you talk to us…" said Ty Lee, shrugging

"I don't think so" muttered Azula, irked "I'm too upset to think about this rationally…"

"Come on, give it a try" Ty Lee encouraged her, smiling brightly. The joyous look on her face made Azula feel like punching her… how could she smile like that when so many things were at stake in her life? Well, Ty Lee knew not of these matters… and she probably wouldn't understand if she explained them anyway. She didn't understand a few things about it herself, to be honest… why had she let Admiral Chan get away with stealing all the credit for her grand endeavor…? If only she had been smart enough not to give him an edge on her…

"I don't feel like it, Ty Lee. And I'm not in the mood to deal with your happy-go-lucky attitude either" grunted Azula.

Ty Lee's face fell and she stared at her friend with concerned eyes.

"T-then… you want us to leave? If that's what you want, I guess we can go…"

Azula sighed, knowing her friend was pulling her ace on her by letting her cutting words get through and ending up on the verge of tears. She sighed and rolled her eyes as Mai smirked, used to seeing Azula give up on any of her deeds for the sole sake of not having to deal with Ty Lee's emotional outbursts.

"I didn't say that…" muttered Azula "We meet every week, it's supposed to stay that way or else I'll probably end up losing my mind to the pressures…"

"What happened to you?" asked Mai this time, raising an eyebrow

Azula sighed and fixed her gaze upon the floor, trying to keep the anger bottled up, but telling the story behind her fury promised she wouldn't be able to stay as calm as she wanted to be.

"Do you both recall what happened to me about two years ago, when I returned from the settlement down at the South Pole?"

"Oh, back when Admiral Chan stole all the credit for defeating the warriors of the Water Tribe?" asked Ty Lee, all trace of her previous dejection gone completely.

"Exactly" said Azula, bitterly "I took a detour on my way home to drop off a souvenir at a slave internment camp; Admiral Chan beat me to the Capital and fed my father with a pile of lies. I didn't bother correcting him; I didn't believe it necessary back then since I was certain Chan's conscience would reprimand him for being unable to stand his ground against savages while I did it without a hitch. The other soldiers who were present at the settlement when this happened have grown to admire and respect me… Chan, though, never truly did, though I was sure he would admit to himself how low his actions were…"

"But he never did, right?" said Ty Lee, sighing

"Naturally" muttered Azula "My father told him, back when he had just lied about what happened in the South Pole, that he would reward him with anything for saving my life. Chan said he had nothing in mind at the moment, and I was certain it meant he was being tortured by his conscience. Well, I was proven wrong today. Two years later, he decided he finally had come up with an idea so that my father could thank him for what he didn't even do…"

Ty Lee gulped when she saw the furious way Azula's eyes gleamed now, and she didn't feel like she had the courage to ask her friend about her troubles anymore… but Mai wasn't giving up halfway through the story.

"What did he ask for?" she muttered, slightly afraid of the answer.

Azula bared her teeth as she replied, enraged:

"His blasted request was that his useless son would be allowed to take my hand in marriage!"

Ty Lee's jaw fell in shock, and even Mai, who always showed a very bleak expression, couldn't help but stare at Azula, dumbstruck.

"T-that's just… b-but that can't be…" said Ty Lee "Isn't that the same boy we met at Ember Island?"

"Yes" grunted Azula "I don't see how he would agree to marry me when I deliberately burned down his house, but I guess the mere thought of marrying the Fire Lord's daughter is more than enough for him to agree without thinking about anything else…"

"But… it's not definitive, is it?" asked Ty Lee

"It might as well be" grunted Azula "I just came out from a damned meeting with my father and Admiral Chan. They're both extremely enthusiastic about deciding my future for me, disregarding my opinion upon the matter completely"

"But… did you tell your father you didn't want to marry Chan's son?" asked Ty Lee

"I wasn't allowed to intervene" she muttered bitterly "I could only listen and try not to fry Chan's head with lightning every time he opened that foul mouth of his to stroke my father's ego and convince him this was the best idea they'd ever had"

"That's so sneaky… it's really low" muttered Ty Lee, understanding now why Azula seemed so disturbed "I thought he would have more honor than that…"

"Of course not" replied Azula "Honor has become little more than a myth these days, especially amongst the Fire Nation military. They're too busy trying to attain the highest ranks to care about the way they reach their goals…"

"Disgusting" muttered Mai, and Azula couldn't have agreed more

"But… I don't know what you think, but arranged marriages aren't always so bad" muttered Ty Lee, trying to give some hope to Azula "My parents get along great and it was an arranged marriage…"

"Well, I can't say the same about my parents" grunted Azula "My mother was too dumb to fight back when she was forced to marry my father… she didn't want him, yet she accepted, probably because her family would be honored by her decision. Still, she only ever made herself unhappy, henceforth making him unhappy also. She was too weak to stand up for herself… and I'm nothing like her. I won't let the same thing happen to me"

Ty Lee seemed a little relieved to see Azula hadn't surrendered to her father or Admiral Chan, but there was a small question that still needed to be answered, and Mai took it upon herself to ask it.

"And how, exactly, will you fight against what they're imposing upon you?"

Azula's frown deepened. She had been too busy basking in her rage to think things through… she knew she would have to, eventually, but she didn't know if she was steady enough emotionally to start pondering upon these matters. But she took a deep breath and faced her challenge head on, just as she faced everything in her life.

"Well, there's a very simple solution…" she muttered "I could take it upon myself to slay both men from the Chan lineage and…"

"No killing" said Ty Lee, grimacing "It's just awful to think about killing them… and can you imagine what would happen if you got caught?"

Azula had stared at her with disapproval at first, but Ty Lee's second argument made more sense than she thought it would.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you're probably right about that" she muttered, sighing "Well, then… is there any other way?"

The other two were deep in thought as they tried to find a solution, but nothing came to their minds. Azula decided then to compartment the situation: it would be simpler to find the pieces of the puzzle first and to join them together afterwards.

"The final purpose is for my father to realize my marriage to Chan will damage our lineage" muttered Azula "To accomplish this, I must prove he's not worthy of my hand in marriage, of course. How can I prove this?"

"How about you challenge him to an Agni Kai?" asked Ty Lee

"He's a non-bender" muttered Mai "They can't fight an Agni Kai"

"Oh, yes, we can. He wouldn't survive, but it can be done" said Azula, a vicious smirk on her face now.

"Well, the devilish smile is back" said Ty Lee, slightly relieved "That's a good sign… but we said you can't kill him, so no Agni Kai"

Azula sighed and stared at her nails as she forced her mind to develop a ploy, any sort of ploy…

"The problem is that Chan is irrelevant" she muttered "He lives by his father's glory, holding no talents of his own. He's not a good warrior, he's not a good soldier, he's not good at anything, I think…"

"Well, that should do it" said Mai, shrugging "If he's so useless, the Fire Lord should understand your refusal to marry him"

"That wouldn't be enough" muttered Azula "I have to diminish him until there's nothing left of him, humiliate him to prove how pathetic he is"

"If that's it, then… you should hit him where it hurts" said Mai "Being a nobleman's son, he has to have a hobby of some sort, right? Even if he has no talents, there has to be something else…"

"I've heard he sponsors a gladiator with his father's money, but that really doesn't count, does it?" asked Ty Lee, raising an eyebrow. Azula frowned at her words.

"Probably not. I don't see what we could do with this…" muttered Mai "Isn't there anything else?"

"I don't know, to be honest" muttered Ty Lee

"Your gossip skills are finally put to the test and you're failing?" asked Mai, disappointed

"H-HEY! I'm not a gossip!" squealed Ty Lee, blushing

"Yeah, you're not a gossip" said Mai sarcastically "And I'm an Air Nomad"

"Quit it!" yelled Ty Lee, extremely embarrassed "I only hear information and pass on whatever I find interesting! It doesn't make me a gossip!"

"It sure does" said Mai, her face still unexpressive although she was having a lot of fun by teasing her friend "You're not just a gossip, you're the Queen of Gossip. Don't you agree, Azula…? Azula?"

The Princess had ignored the last portion of the conversation between her two friends as an idea began forming within her mind. The emotion on her eyes was no longer anger but cleverness as she paced around the room, a plan finally coming forth in her mind, the pieces of the puzzle coming together far quicker than she imagined they would.

"Are you okay?" asked Ty Lee, but Azula lifted a hand on her direction in a gesture asking her wordlessly to keep quiet.

She began chuckling and she nodded once her plan was ready. Oh, it was risky… it was dangerous. She was bound to end up buried in an avalanche of trouble if something went wrong at some point… it was going to be very difficult indeed. But she loved the idea, and up until now, she knew of nothing that could prevent her from making a place for herself in that strange world that didn't stand too far from her grasp…

"I think I have it" she said, smirking "I think I know how to prove my superiority, how to crush him completely and blow his pride to smithereens"

Both Ty Lee and Mai were glad to see Azula back to her usual defiant and determined personality, but they couldn't deny it was a terrifying sight. What could she have come up with this time?

"Nice to know, I guess…" said Ty Lee, gulping

"Well? What is it?" asked Mai "What are you going to do?"

Azula's smirk widened as she turned to face both girls, her eyes blazing with malice. And once she delivered her statement, both Mai and Ty Lee stared at her in disbelief, their eyes so wide Azula could have sworn they were bound to fall out of their sockets. Well, it was natural for them to react like this when they heard her say, proudly:

"I'm going to sponsor a Gladiator"


	4. Chapter 4

The wheels of the carriage spun too slowly for Ty Lee and Mai's liking. Both girls wanted this matter done with as quickly as possible, especially since they'd been dragged by Azula to follow her into the town of Hui Yi to look for her gladiator.

Ty Lee had done everything in her power to try and talk Azula out of such a crazy decision while Mai told her she was plain insane to think about sponsoring someone in the Superior Gladiator League. There were several reasons why they believed this was nothing but trouble: one of them was that the royals had no motives to get involved in Gladiator fights, it was a very unpleasant activity involving slaves beating each other up… why bother wasting their time entertaining themselves with this when there were important wars to fight against the nations that still resisted them? The gladiator business had been set up several years ago so that simple noblemen could entertain themselves somehow, and the Royalty of the Fire Nation had such duties to undertake that getting involved in such low pastime was simply ludicrous.

The other reason, though, did nothing but fuel Azula's urge to hire a gladiator: no woman had ever sponsored a gladiator before. Sponsors were exclusively male. There were a handful of female gladiators, but never female sponsors. Apparently, women in the Fire Nation were too delicate to witness two slaves sparring… or perhaps their husbands didn't want to lend them any money for them to take charge upon a gladiator. Whichever the reason was, Azula couldn't help but frown at the thought. She hated this misogynistic culture: she would beat down any obstacle in her way to prove she was superior to all the men that kept thinking otherwise.

And so, Azula had requested a carriage to lead her all the way to the town of Hui Yi. She had selected this town because the Capital only held an Arena for the Superior Gladiator League, and, clearly, any gladiator involved in this league was already sponsored by someone else. To find a good prospect she had to look for an arena of amateur gladiators, and the closest one to the Fire Nation capital was the one where she had discharged the Water Tribe warrior from a few years ago. As the carriage pulled by Komodo Rhinos moved closer and closer to Hui Yi, she wondered if that man still lived… it was unlikely, though. Amateur gladiator fights were wild and deadly, she had heard the average amateur gladiator survived only for six months, and the weakling she had dealt with down at the South Pole didn't seem to have the build to make it through two years at the rough regime of gladiators.

"Why did you drag us here, Azula?" asked Ty Lee, staring through the window in distaste as they entered the old town, which was a very low-class place in comparison to what the three girls were used to.

"I didn't feel like coming alone" replied Azula "You two can help me select the most appropriate gladiator for me"

Mai raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she eyed her friend with concern. Azula was so logical and thoughtful about everything she did… but this gladiator thing was the exact opposite to her usual self. Three girls, a Princess and two daughters of noblemen, heading into a godforsaken town like this one seemed way too risky a move even for Azula.

"And how exactly would we do that?" muttered Mai "Ty Lee and I don't have much knowledge either about gladiators or about skilled fighters…"

"Don't try to fool me" said Azula "You're a skilled fighter yourself, Mai, and so is Ty Lee. Maybe you two don't show it to anyone else, but I've seen your prowess with knives and Ty Lee's chi-blocking tactics. So even if you want to pretend you're an ignorant about this, it's obvious you're lying"

Mai sighed in mild resignation, but she still hadn't given up in proving how useless her presence was in these circumstances.

"Nevertheless, it doesn't mean I can identify who's a great fighter and who isn't" she muttered

"And besides…" said Ty Lee, gulping "I really don't want to see an amateur gladiator fight. They're horrible, from what I've heard…"

"Toughen up, Ty Lee" said Azula, as the carriage finally halted "Facing death first hand will make you respect it far more than if you never witness it in your life"

"B-but I don't want to have anything to do with this…" whined Ty Lee, but Azula ignored her curtly as the driver of the carriage opened the door to help the girls out.

Azula couldn't help but frown when her feet hit the filthy ground. This was, most definitely, no place for a girl of her standards. Ty Lee seemed to agree with those thoughts as she looked around herself, uncomfortable in such a deranged town.

"Is that it?" asked Mai, as she got off the carriage and stared at the ragged building in front of them.

"Apparently" muttered Azula, her contempt evident on the expression in her face.

"I don't like this place… I don't like it one bit" muttered Ty Lee, gulping.

Her words were all Azula needed to realize she hadn't come simply to enjoy the show. She didn't look at her friend as she replied

"No one said you had to like it" she muttered "We're not here on vacation or anything of the sort: we're here to find my gladiator"

Ty Lee sighed in resignation as she followed Azula into the worn out building, with Mai treading right behind them. Azula detailed immediately the wooden vestibule once she entered it: there was a man behind the counter on the opposite wall to the front door, and adjacent to said counter were two doors, which, Azula assumed, would lead them to the stands from where they would witness the gladiator fights. A chalkboard with names of some fighters scribbled over it hung behind the man at the counter, who flashed a smile at the girls as he saw them enter the building. Azula didn't take his enthusiasm to be genuine, there had to be an ulterior motive for his apparent cheerfulness; she didn't know this for certain, but it probably was since anyone entering the premises of the Arena would have to pay a fee to sit at the stands, and he was more than happy to charge the three of them for the proper cost.

"Welcome, ladies" he said with a joyous voice that that produced different effects on the three girls. Azula frowned, distrustful of any man, as usual; Ty Lee smiled at him, glad to see a friendly face; Mai ignored him completely, only caring for whatever Azula decided to do now "How may I help you?"

Azula scanned the board behind the man before answering his question

"It's the first time we've come to an amateur gladiator fight. What exactly are we supposed to do?" she asked with her habitual authoritarian voice tone.

"I figured as much" he said, smiling kindly "First of all, you must pay a fee to enter the premises"

"Oh…" said Azula, surprised. She didn't recall having to pay to enter any gladiator fights of the Superior League… "And you plan to charge me?"

"Uh… why shouldn't I?" asked the man, confused.

"You… you don't know who I am, do you?" she asked, a smirk playing on her lips "Oh, well… There's not much point in using my position to get out of paying all the time"

The Princess slid her hands in her pockets, but found no form of money within them. She wasn't surprised, although she had held on to the silly hopes that she might find a few coins hiding within her clothes. Ty Lee seemed to be facing the same luck as she checked the contents of her purse to no avail…

Mai rolled her eyes as she took out a pouch from her own purse.

"How much is it for each?" she asked

"Uh… it's ten yuans per person" replied the man, surprised to see the girls struggling to find money. Apparently, being the high-class people they were, they wouldn't carry cash around so freely.

Mai deposited a few coins on the counter; the man immediately began counting them as Azula and Ty Lee thanked their friend

"Gee, thanks for that, Mai!" said Ty Lee, hugging her happily

"I'll make sure to pay you back" promised Azula

"You'd better" replied the other "You both should learn to carry money with you"

"The wisdom of a married woman speaking?" asked Azula mockingly, earning herself a glare from Mai

"Ha ha, very funny" she grunted, as the other two smiled at her

"Very well, everything's in order!" said the man behind the counter "The three of you are free to pass through these doors and take a seat on the stands to watch the fight. You can also make your bets here, setting some money on the gladiator you think will win"

"Making bets?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow

"You could pay your friend back if you choose the right fighter" said the man, winking at her. Azula felt like punching him straight in the face.

"It sounds pretty nice, that way we wouldn't owe Mai anything" said Ty Lee, smiling

"And with whose money, exactly, do you plan on placing your bets with?" growled Mai, irritated "Who will pay up if you two lose?"

"I don't think I'd choose the wrong gladiator" said Azula "But I would need to know them before selecting one over another"

"The fight that's about to happen is between the Dart Slayer and the Blue Wolf" said the man "There will be more combats later, but it's fine if you simply bid on one, I reckon"

"It should be sufficient" agreed Azula "Well? Who's the better fighter out of those two?"

"I wouldn't really know" said the man, chuckling "The Dart Slayer is very powerful and he's been around for about three months: he fights using a scimitar and darts with some strange properties that numb his opponent whenever he hits them"

"Darts that numb people? Sounds like a combination of what we both do" said Ty Lee, smiling at Mai, who nodded in agreement.

"And what about the other one?" asked Azula.

"I really don't know how to describe him" the man admitted "He's somewhat… strange. He has a few weapons, but they're nothing amazing. I haven't really understood how he's managed to survive for two years straight…"

"Survived for two years…?" repeated Azula "Yet his fighting style isn't entirely determined?"

"No, well, not for someone like me" admitted the man "I don't know much about martial arts, I'm just in charge of the money…"

"I see…" muttered Azula, thoughtful. She debated internally the situation and she nodded at Mai "I'd appreciate it if you didn't mind giving him ten more yuans. I'll make a bet on the Blue Wolf"

"In that case, I'll bet on him too!" said Ty Lee, cheerful.

Mai's mood became ever sourer as she gave the man more money. He smiled at her sympathetically as he wrote down the bets Azula and Ty Lee had decided to make, and he handed the list of bids to the girls.

"Sign your names here, and, once the fight is done, you can come back to get your money if you've won"

Azula nodded and took the brush from the man's hand, dipping it in ink before doing so. Ty Lee did the same and the three of them took their leave as they finally entered the stands a few minutes before the battle began. The man hummed a happy tune as he stacked the money along with the rest of the bidding funds, and it wasn't until later that he took a look at the paper the girls had left on the counter. He scanned the second to last name, and as he did, his jaw dropped in shock.

"No way… t-that was P-Princess Azula?!" he yelled, growing pale as he realized he had charged the Arena's entrance fee to the Fire Lord's daughter…

Azula led the way through the stands, and Ty Lee and Mai followed suit. Walking amongst commoners wasn't particularly fun for any of them, they were clearly being judged by every single person who saw them… and that was bound to be everyone within the stands, actually. Their attires stood out since they were far classier than what the people who attended the amateur gladiators fights could afford… although if they didn't waste money in something as fruitless as amateur gladiator fights they probably would have more capital than they currently did.

They finally found an opening within the crowd and they dropped on the creaking wooden seats, the three of them frowning when their rears hit the uncomfortable chairs.

"Seriously, why did you bring us along?" asked Mai, irked "You could've made it all the way here without us…"

"Quit whining so much" said Azula "You're just mad because we're using your money"

"It's really cheap of you to be complaining about that, you know?" said Ty Lee, folding her arms "You've got mounds of gold back home, don't you?"

"Don't YOU have mounds of money as well?" asked Mai, the frown in her face growing with each passing moment

"W-well, yeah… that's why you can be sure that we'll be paying you back even if the gladiator we chose loses!" said Ty Lee cheerfully, but her enthusiasm wasn't contagious. Mai glared at her and turned to look at the arena as she muttered

"This sucks"

Azula had ignored the conversation of the other two as she detailed the grounds where the battle would take place. She had seen the sandy pit on the Superior Gladiator League several times, and within it were several obstacles and objects the gladiators could use to make the fight more interesting… not here, though. The sand in itself was filthy, blotches of black stained it in many places, making it look like nobody bothered to clean it at all. No objects or obstacles were in sight, apparently they were unnecessary here… she guessed the only fun part on this fights was when the combatants slit each other's throats.

Two gates at the extremes of the pit opened up then and the crowd roared wildly. Azula frowned at the irritating noise and she tried to ignore it as she saw two men walking into the sand. The one entering from the left wing of the stadium wore a green armor to cover his humongous body; the scimitar hanging on his back helped her identify him as the Dart Slayer. At the other end, a less burly man walked out on the arena: his helmet had a wolf's shape and it sheltered his head and neck; the clothes and armor covering the rest of his tan body were blue, reminiscing Azula of someone she couldn't quite place at the moment.

A man on his forties jumped onto a scaffold by the edge of the stands, bringing everyone's eyes to him as he yelled.

"On to the next battle, my friends!" he yelled, and another roar from the crowd told him people were expectant to witness the slaughter "From the Earth Kingdom's wastelands, a tough and buff fighter with several tricks underneath his sleeve… it's the Dart Slayer!"

The Dart Slayer yelled and roared just as enthusiastically as his supporters, making Azula wince at his attitude. No doubt she wouldn't want a man like this as her gladiator…

"And from nowhere we've heard about, the mysterious man that has proven to be a brilliant fighter many times before, the Blue Wolf!"

The Blue Wolf lifted a fist in the air, but not in a very passionate manner. He probably had been told to make a few moves to rouse the crowd even when he couldn't care less about what people thought of him; regardless, the multitude cheered him on eagerly.

"Gee, I think we picked the right guy, Azula!" said Ty Lee while the man on the scaffold kept blabbering about both the contestants "He's so cute!"

"How can you say he's cute if you can't even see his face?" asked Mai, rolling her eyes

"Just look at that build, Mai!" said Ty Lee, blushing as she stared at the Blue Wolf's features, mesmerized "No matter if you're married; you'd have to be dead if looking at him doesn't produce at least a little fascination in you! He's so great-looking"

Azula heard Ty Lee's words and wondered why the girl was so smitten over the Blue Wolf. Granted his muscles were well defined and his slender but strong figure seemed far better preserved that the one she would have expected to see on an amateur gladiator… but that didn't mean he was strikingly handsome… well, maybe he was, maybe he wasn't… it hardly mattered. He was bound to be a simple-minded brute beneath whatever looks he was concealing behind his helmet. Azula decided to reserve her judgment upon him until after she had witnessed his fighting skills.

"… but can the Blue Wolf's long-standing winning streak survive the Dart Slayer?" said the man on the scaffold "We'll find out right away! Let the battle begin!"

And with another roar of the crowd, he jumped back to his seat, the highest one in the stands. Azula figured he was the owner of the Arena judging both by the seat he took and his attitude… but she decided to focus on the two combatants now, since the fight had finally started.

The Blue Wolf hadn't drawn out the weapons that hung on his belt and back, whereas the Dart Slayer had his scimitar in hand, circling his rival while showing him a smirk of yellow teeth. In a quick movement, the Dart Slayer slid his hand into a pouch that hung on his belt and he tossed something towards the Blue Wolf, something small and sharp, not easy to see with the naked eye, but for what they already knew about this fighter, it could be nothing other than his fabled darts.

The Blue Wolf jumped out of the way and knocked a few darts over with a club that had been on his back; he swung it with such speed that most the crowd stared in disbelief. Azula's eyes studied his movements quickly as she began thinking Ty Lee's statement had been right: she really had selected the superior fighter. He was swift and effective with his every move, not overdoing anything as he quickly calculated the situation, trying to figure out how his opponent would attack next, where he should strike back…

The Blue Wolf kept avoiding the darts for a while until the Dart Slayer seemed to grow irritated to see his attacks were fruitless. With his scimitar in hand, he ran towards his opponent, who took another weapon from his back and parried his rival's attack with it. Azula frowned when she saw what the Blue Wolf was using to fight now. Maybe she was seeing things… but it sure looked like the blue boomerang she had seen a long time ago on the hands of a crazed Water Tribe Warrior. Could it be him? No, no… it was ridiculous. That boy was a foolish fighter; he had definitely not been skilled enough to fight and survive for two years of battling against the wildest slaves… she couldn't recognize that dumb boy's fighting style on the Blue Wolf anyway. It was likely his weapons had been given to a man who decided to use them after he had been slain on his first battle or something… it was a story that seemed to make far more sense than anything else.

Because if this was Sokka of the Water Tribe…

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought. She gulped as she tried to keep her sudden emotions at bay. It couldn't be him, it simply couldn't. She shook her head, feeling like a fool by letting her thoughts bother her. It didn't mean anything if this man was the same one she had met all those years ago… it wasn't as if she was going to select precisely him as her gladiator…

But wasn't she? As she saw him struggle against the Dart Slayer she realized his fighting style appealed to her far more than it should. It didn't help that Ty Lee's crazy ideas about the man being handsome were starting to sneak into her own head as she saw how his muscles tensed with every movement he made… part of his chest was in plain sight, his armor didn't cover him completely, and the glistening sweat that ran over his skin made her mouth run dry all of sudden… She had to shake her head to return to reality, wondering what on earth was taking over her…

But her attention was suddenly drawn to the fight itself when the Dart Slayer, after clashing his blade against the Blue Wolf's boomerang several times, snuck out a dart sneakily from his pouch and stuck it into the Blue Wolf's shoulder.

The Blue Wolf jumped backwards after pushing his opponent away forcibly with one hand. The Dart Slayer fell to the ground and jumped up while the Blue Wolf walked as far as he could from his rival, his left arm growing numb by the minute. Were the darts coated with some kind of poison? The Blue Wolf didn't know, but he decided he wouldn't take any chances. He extracted the needle from his arm and some blood trickled down his arm. Judging by the fact that he couldn't see any liquids that proved his wound was infected with anything dangerous, he assumed he would be safe to continue fighting despite how numb his arm felt. He would have to make do with only his right arm for now.

The Dart Slayer continued tossing projectiles at the Blue Wolf now that his opponent seemed weakened, but to his dismay, the Blue Wolf kept avoiding and knocking darts over with his club. The Blue Wolf assessed the situation quickly, or at least, Azula thought that was what he was doing. The darts were deadly; he would need to force his enemy to fight only with his sword… which meant he would have to keep distance between himself and his opponent to force him to attack with darts until he ran out of needles. But another course of action would be to distract him with the boomerang and jump at him with the club when the Dart Slayer wasn't expecting an attack… well, that is if the Blue Wolf was smart enough to be thinking things through while catching his breath.

And to her surprise, it seemed he was smart enough. Azula stared at him in awe as he tossed his boomerang at the Dart Slayer, who hadn't foreseen the attack, and he had to duck to avoid the blow. While he did so, the Blue Wolf detached something from his belt and rolled it on the floor in the direction of the Dart Slayer, who stumbled to regain his stance. And when he did, he stared at the small gray sphere that lolled between his feet.

He realized what was going to happen far too late to avoid it. The sphere began spinning on its own accord as it expelled black smoke on the section of the pit where the Dart Slayer stood.

The Blue Wolf smirked as he grasped his club, waiting… waiting. He was simply listening to the Dart Slayer's whimpers as he tried to find his way within the cloud of smoke… he moved towards the zone where he heard the Dart Slayer's footsteps. Just waiting… just waiting… and trying not to think things through. If he dared try to reason with what he was doing, he would lose his center yet again, and he couldn't let that happen. He took a deep breath and grasped his club with a powerful grip as the Dart Slayer's figure finally began to take shape within the smoke…

The Dart Slayer stumbled and tripped as he finally managed to slip out of the smoke… but before he could make any sense of his bearings, a powerful strike hit his legs, knocking him over to the ground. His bones had just been crushed by the Blue Wolf's club, who had attacked his rival the very second he exited the smoke cloud. He repeated his blows, blood splattering all over the place as the Dart Slayer cried out loud in agony, realizing he had lost the battle even though he wasn't dead yet… he might as well be, at this rate…

The Blue Wolf stepped away from the shuddering figure in the ground, panting as he did his best to empty his mind before delivering the final blow…

He tried his best not to assimilate what he had just done when he felt the man's skull getting shattered under the power of his club.

The crowd roared with joy as the Dart Slayer became nothing but a memory, nothing but a corpse lying under the scorching midday sun. Ty Lee had jumped into Mai's arms, hiding her face in the girl's shoulder as not to stare at the gruesome scene, hating to be the witness of such atrocious act. Mai herself shut her eyes firmly, disgusted by the pointless violence.

But Azula, despite not being too comfortable with watching how a man killed the other by pouring his brains on the ground, was too much in shock to care. The smoke bomb… the boomerang… the club… and the man from the counter had said this particular fighter had survived for two years straight. Maybe she was jumping to conclusions; it might not be him anyway…

All trace of doubts vanished when the Blue Wolf took off his helmet and waved at the crowd unenthusiastically, his features now in plain sight.

She didn't need to see the scars in his neck, the ones she had put there herself… she didn't need to pay attention to his warrior's wolf tail, she didn't even have to think about the short stub of beard on his chin… all she had needed to see to confirm her doubts were his deep blue eyes, which glistened brightly under the sun.

When he turned to wave towards the zone where she sat, she felt time stopping as she came to a realization. This man… the only man who had ever acknowledged her as equals despite her being a woman… this man was a gladiator. She had come looking to sponsor somebody… and he had proven he had talents and expertise worthy of a professional gladiator. Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared at his features, wondering if he'd been this attractive back when they'd met at the South Pole…

The man jumped on the scaffold again and kept rousing the crowd while praising the Blue Wolf's skills non-stop, as if he hadn't doubted he would survive back when the battle hadn't even began. But Azula was too busy to care about his words as she stared at the surviving warrior. When the smoke finally cleared up, a few slaves showed up to remove the dead body of the Dart Slayer from the grounds, and the Blue Wolf himself walked away, exiting the premises of the pit through the same door through which he had entered in the first place.

"I-is it over…?" asked Ty Lee, tears streaming down her face as she pulled away from her friend's arms

"Yeah" said Mai, feeling a lump on her throat after the horror she had witnessed.

"Azula… please, let's leave" begged Ty Lee, turning to the Princess and tugging her sleeve "I can't watch another of these awful fights… I really can't. Please, don't do this… it's too dreadful…"

"Don't worry" muttered Azula sternly, surprising both Ty Lee and Mai "We don't need to watch the next fight"

"What? Why?" asked Mai "Please tell me you're saying this because you can't stand to watch something so gruesome…"

"It is sickening" admitted Azula "But no, I haven't given up on my ploy, not in the slightest"

"A-are you saying…?" asked Ty Lee, staring at her in horror "Are you saying you'll take that guy as your gladiator?!"

"Yes" said Azula, enough determination in that sole syllable to silence both her friends.

She stood up, and Ty Lee and Mai were perfectly comfortable with following her and leaving the horrible gladiator arena. Still, both of them were eyeing Azula with concern. Was she really going to hire such a deadly and heartless man to become her gladiator? Ty Lee no longer seemed to care about how great his looks were, aghast as she was after observing how he destroyed his opponent's legs with such ease - she had already hidden on Mai's shoulder before he delivered the final blow; she didn't have to watch the end of the fight to be completely appalled. He was truly terrifying…

And so was Azula, actually. They probably made a better pairing than it seemed at first thought.

When they reached the vestibule, the man at the counter jumped at the sight and threw himself on the floor, bowing down to Azula.

"I apologize for my behavior, Princess!" he squealed, and Azula stared at him in disgust

"What's the matter with you?" she asked "Get up, this is ridiculous"

"Hey… where's my money?" Mai asked the man, folding her arms "The Blue Wolf won. Pay up"

"Oh! Oh! Right away!" yelled the man, running behind the counter and pulling out far more coins than he needed to "I'm very sorry for any inconveniences, I can't believe I was stupid enough to make you pay… I'm a disgrace"

"You probably are" said Azula, as she watched Mai collect the money they owed her "But you can still be a little useful, despite how pathetic you are. Who should I talk to if I want to sponsor a gladiator?"

The man behind the counter, busy with his coins, stared at Azula in awe as he processed her words.

"W-well…" he mumbled, building up a reply "I guess you should go up to Huang Li, he's the one in charge of the whole thing… but he's going to be busy for a while, since he leads the business on the Hui Yi Arena. Once all the battles are done, you can find him in the gladiator barracks, they're right behind the Arena. You can access them through an alley that runs right next to this very building…"

"So we have to wait?" asked Azula, irritated "How many fights are there left?"

"Two, I believe" muttered the man "Hopefully they'll be over with quickly"

"They'd better be" grumbled Azula "We'll wait here until they're done"

Mai and Ty Lee nodded and the three of them sat on a bench that stood on the side of the vestibule. They didn't talk much, both Mai and Ty Lee were too troubled after what they had witnessed and Azula was wondering what exactly she would do once she faced the gladiator again… it wasn't bound to go smoothly, she didn't expect it to… but she needed him. And she would grant him whatever he wished as long as he would help her fulfill her goals…

After an hour or so, people began exiting the arena: the matches were over. Azula stood up and gestured at her friends to follow her, which they did without a second thought, hoping to see this matter end as quickly as possible. They exited the Arena and headed to the barracks the man from the counter had told them about. Azula wasn't surprised to see the man from the scaffold chuckling and laughing as he counted the money on his bag: he was definitely the one in charge of this business, no doubt about it.

"Excuse me" said Azula, announcing herself "I need to speak to Huang Li"

"I'm Huang Li" said the man, still too busy with his money to look at who he was talking to "Whaddaya want, wench?"

Mai and Ty Lee stared at the man in shock, unable to believe the man had been dumb enough to insult Azula in this manner. The Princess, though, did nothing other than smirk. This man most definitely knew nothing of what he had asked for… and he was about to find out, painfully.

"Care to say that again, useless scum?" she muttered, her serene voice concealing her anger.

Huang Li finally looked up when she insulted him. Nobody insulted him and got away with it… was what he planned to say until he saw the three elegant ladies in front of him. And one of them wearing a golden hairpiece, to boot… he was done for, he knew it.

Indeed, he didn't have a chance to do anything but squeal in horror as she pulled him by the neck of his shirt and pinned him against a wall fiercely. It didn't matter that he was at least four inches taller than her and much heavier, she had more than the necessary strength to deal with him. Both Mai and Ty Lee, despite how sensible they were after watching the gladiator fight, were actually hoping Azula would beat the man to a pulp. They weren't as resentful towards the misogynist society they lived in as the Princess was, but there was a limit to how much rubbish they were willing to put up with by stupid men like Huang Li.

Azula held the man in place with her right hand and coated her left with her blue fire, just so that Huang Li would understand the extent of his crime if he hadn't realized already who he was dealing with.

"I… I…" he said, panting "I'm so sorry, Your Highness… I didn't notice it was you…"

"I should hope so" muttered Azula "Regardless, I recommend you begin thinking before you open that foul mouth of yours. Although I doubt you can, you mustn't even have a brain within that thick skull… although, is it really that thick? Though, no matter. I'll find out if it is soon enough…"

As she asked the last question she raised her free hand towards his temple, and Huang Li began panting uncontrollably, fearing for his life

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness!" he yelled "I… I didn't mean to! I… I beg you, don't kill me!"

Azula didn't feel like sparing his life, to be honest… but she knew both Mai and Ty Lee had seen enough violence in one day to also witness how she slaughtered a man in the middle of an alley. She didn't recoil, but she decided to get what she was looking for before giving the man the punishment he deserved.

"I won't… if you help me out with something" she muttered "Can you do that?"

"A-anything! I swear, I'll do anything!" he squealed, making her wince. He was truly disgusting.

"Good" muttered Azula "I want to speak to the Blue Wolf in private. Where can I find him?"

"Oh… t-the Blue Wolf?" asked Huang Li "H-he's in here, but the barracks… they're no place f-for a Princess such as yourself!"

"What are you trying to say, Huang Li?" asked Azula, bringing her fire dangerously close to his face

"I mean…! I can set up a meeting between you both!" he squealed, terrified "I will, I will! But not here! This is no place for a Princess! T-there's an inn across the street, m-my brother owns it! I'll get the Blue Wolf and send him there, t-to room 24! W-wait there, I'll have him meet you there as quickly as possible!"

Azula frowned, the fire on her hand still dancing hazardously. Huang Li's eyes were swarming in tears by now as he believed he would lose his life to her left hand… which is why he screamed when her right hand began burning the cloth she was gripping firmly.

Once she burned the fabric she was holding, Huang Li collapsed on the ground while smacking his chest, trying to smother the flames that still burned his clothes and his bodily hair.

"Make sure you set this up, then" she said "I will be waiting. Room 24, you said? If your gladiator isn't there in ten minutes, I'll be burning more than just your shirt next time… am I clear?"

"C-crystal clear, Your Highness!" squeaked Huang Li, bowing even though he was still patting his chest.

Azula looked down on him, feeling propelled to deliver another strike at him… but she held back. If he didn't send Sokka to her on time, she would kill him afterwards, when Mai and Ty Lee weren't watching.

"Let's go, girls" she said, walking down the alley once more, headed towards the inn Huang Li had spoken about. Mai and Ty Lee followed her, but not before glaring at the man that still lay on the ground, panting as he tried to catch his breath.

Huang Li's legs still trembled when he finally thought he had the strength to head inside the barracks to find the Blue Wolf, Dumberang, Sokka of the Water Tribe. He found him washing his clothes after having taken a bath himself, a ritual he performed every time he was done with his combats for the day, and he tapped the young man on the right shoulder, surprising him.

"W-what's the matter?" asked Sokka, clearing his throat. He hadn't spoken in what felt like ages… but seeing Huang Li in such state didn't happen often. Something strange must have happened to him, judging by the look on his face and his scorched shirt…

"D-dum… Blue Wolf" he said, avoiding using his ridiculous nickname for Sokka "Someone… someone wants to talk to you. See you… m-meet her in the inn across the Arena, room 24… Go, or else she'll kill us both…"

"She?" asked Sokka, standing up as he frowned "Who is this 'she', exactly?"

"She… I… I was a fool" said Huang Li, shaking his head in horror "I called her… how could I call her wench? I'm the worst… I… I'll pay for this… and I'm sure I will… I… I don't know why she spared my life, b-but she threatened me with that blue fire…"

Sokka's eyes opened wide, and he dropped the cloth he had been cleansing.

A dangerous woman with blue fire… who had let Huang Li live for reasons unknown after he insulted her… it couldn't be, could it?

"W-wait… why?" he asked, frowning "Didn't you ask her why she wanted to talk to me?!"

"How could I have questioned her?!" cried Huang Li "She's so beautiful and terrible… I had nothing to say to the Fire Lord's daughter… all she wanted was to see you, and that's all I can do…i-if I'm lucky, maybe she won't kill me when she's done with you…"

Sokka wanted to keep questioning the man in front of him, but he decided against it immediately. His worst enemy, the woman he kept thinking about, the woman he wanted to kill… she had requested his presence. A smile showed up on his features as he realized her promise that he would live to fight on another day might get fulfilled now.

He took some spare clothes from the pile of objects that belonged to him and he clad himself with them, buckling up, weapons included, to go meet Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. For two years he had awaited the chance to meet her again… and now she had sought him out herself. Maybe it was his lucky day after all…


	5. Chapter 5

Sokka sighed as he walked down the alley, heading towards the inn Huang Li had indicated him to go to. After talking to him, the amateur arena's owner had ran off to make sure his brother would be aware of the extravagant meeting that would be taking place on Room 24; Huang Li didn't really know what business Azula had in mind, but whenever a nobleman took interest in any of his men he would have them meet on Room 24. His brother was already used to these developments, so he would lend him the room without complaint.

He wondered if guards of some sort would take his weapons from him before he even got to see the darned girl… it was likely to happen, but if it didn't he would be ready to fight her… that is, if she had come to give him the rematch he had been waiting for. He carried his boomerang, his club and a knife he hardly recurred to, but he knew those weapons wouldn't be enough to overpower the Princess if things became violent between them… and they probably would; his hostility towards her knew no end. But the wound on his arm weakened him despite the dart didn't have any strange substance on its tip; it probably had punctured a muscle or something, which brought forth an irritating pain and impeded him from fighting to the best of his skill.

He crossed the street and glared at the high-class carriage that stood next to the walkway. If he had any doubts left about the Princess being here, they were dispelled immediately. Nobody in Hui Yi owned anything of such value; the carriage was so out of place it was irritating. Sokka decided to forget about the carriage for now, though, and he turned to face the inn. Room 24, was it? He took a deep breath and pushed the door inwards, walking inside without looking at anyone in the crowded vestibule or bothering to ask for directions, since they weren't really necessary.

He reached the stairs and continued upwards, ignoring the two girls that stood next to the stairway. The two of them stared at him, one of them apparently studious, the other one blushing slightly, but his mind was so focused upon the person he'd have to face in Room 24 that he didn't care about anyone else.

Ty Lee couldn't help herself to gape after the gladiator as he climbed the steps to the upper floor.

"What are you doing?" asked Mai, frowning disapprovingly

"I… I know we just watched him do something really horrible" muttered Ty Lee, blushing even more "But damn, he's hot!"

Mai groaned in annoyance and shook her head, amazed by Ty Lee's skill of letting her hormones take over her entire being.

"You're unbelievable" she said, as Ty Lee stared on at the now empty stairway, waiting for the handsome young man to reappear…

Sokka, of course, was completely unaware of the girl swooning over him. He looked for Room 24 and found it on the top floor of the inn. He read the number over and over again, feeling his blood boil. What would happen when he entered that room? What would he say? What would she say? Would she try to kill him the minute she saw him? Or would he be the one taken over by the urge to slay her? Well, he would find out eventually… he extended his trembling hand towards the doorknob, his insides twisting wildly as he thought of every possible outcome to this crazy endeavor…

The door creaked loudly as he opened it and stepped inside the room. He tried to keep steady as he saw her standing by the window, her back towards him. Her long black hair ran down her back, a small knot stood on the top of her head, held together by a red lace and crowned by the same royal hairpiece she had worn back when they had first met down at the South Pole. Sokka hated to find his eyes studying her, hated to find himself acknowledging she was still as beautiful as ever even though he hadn't even seen her face yet… but surely, she was still as deadly as ever as well. As he stared at her, he wondered if she felt half as nervous as he did about this encounter… probably not. It wasn't as if his face haunted her nightmares, as if she considered him the one to blame for all what was wrong in her life…

But he was wrong. The second she heard the door open, her heart jumped in her chest. Why was it so exhilarating to meet the Water Tribe Warrior for the first time in so long? She couldn't let such random emotions take over her only because he was the sole man to ever show her respect without her forcing it out of him… the fact that she had found him attractive while he was in the gladiator pit didn't help either, it probably made the situation far worse. What would happen now? What should she say…? Would he agree to be her gladiator? She deeply hoped he would…

After a few seconds, she finally calmed her nerves enough and turned slowly to face him. Sokka didn't know if to feel glad or disappointed to finally catch a glimpse of her face… he had half hoped she was covered in pimples so that he could stop finding her so mesmerizing… of course, he wouldn't be so lucky. Her skin was as flawless as ever.

Her amber eyes clashed with his azure gaze once again after two years. They had only met once before, but somehow they had been expecting this reunion so badly that it didn't feel like they were almost total strangers. Both stood holding the other's stare, both wondering who would say the first words, who would make the first move…

"It's been a while" muttered Azula, unable to resist the silence anymore.

Sokka didn't reply, unsure of what to say. Anything he dared utter could have catastrophic consequences…

"I'll assume you agree to that statement" she muttered carelessly, growing a little impatient. If he wasn't going to talk, it would be far easier for her… and naturally, the minute this thought scrolled through her mind, he decided he wouldn't let her get her way.

"I don't, actually" he grunted, his voice surprising Azula. Had his tone grown hoarse after these years? She could recall he was almost squeaky-voiced before… perhaps those years of roughening up among Gladiators had changed him in more ways than she had imagined "It's not as if I hadn't seen you at all during these two years"

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow

"You wouldn't understand, I guess" said Sokka, folding his arms "I'm pretty sure you can't even imagine what it's like to get your life, your home and everything you love taken away by an overpowered and arrogant Princess who doesn't give a damn about what she's doing to you because all she cares about is taking over the world…"

Azula couldn't help but feel slightly offended at his words, but she knew he was partially right nevertheless.

"Why do I have the feeling that you'd been planning for ages what you would say at this very moment…?" she asked, trying not to show any weakness whatsoever.

"Maybe because I was" growled Sokka "You're unbelievable… after what you've done to me, after all you stole from me, you have the guts to show your face in front of me as if what you've done meant nothing?! As if you had the right to simply walk into my life and do as you please?! What did you come here for, to make sure I've been suffering just as you wanted me to?! Well, congratulations! You fulfilled your goal! You've made me become a disgusting monster! You've made me hate myself and hate everything I have to do to survive… and I simply did it because I kept fueling my rage towards you, hoping the day for payback would come soon…"

Azula hadn't been expecting a sweet reunion of any sort, but she didn't expect the man to pour out his soul in this manner either.

"And so you're planning to take your revenge right here and now?" she asked, playing with a lock of her hair "Is that it?"

"N-no…" muttered Sokka, lowering his eyes and even surprising himself with his words "I… I've spilled enough blood today"

"Ah, so I'll be on your waiting list, then" she asked, smirking

"You having fun?" asked Sokka, gritting his teeth "You know, at times I've had to fight against six guys in a row… and I had to kill them all. I can kill you too, no problem at all"

"Your memory must have grown faint if you truly think so" muttered Azula "I watched you battle the odd dart man today and despite you're far more capable a fighter than you used to be, you're still no match for me"

"Wanna bet?" he asked, lifting his hand towards his boomerang

Azula lifted her own hand, but to Sokka's surprise, she was showing him her palm… asking him to stop what he was about to do. He glared at her, unable to understand what was going through her mind.

"Despite what you may think, I didn't come all this way so that we could battle each other again" she said "I have better things to do than to seek out slaves that might hold a grudge against me"

Sokka was taken aback completely by that statement, but he didn't lower his hand yet. For all he knew, she might be lying.

"Then what are you here for?" he asked.

Azula folded her arms as she sought the proper words, in hopes he wouldn't reply to her in anger, although she was expecting he would have a hysterical outburst at her at some point… but she had to endure it. She needed him… and it was convenient for him that she did. She only had to make him understand that…

"A few developments in my life have been considerably unkind to me as of late..." she began, but Sokka let out a bark of skeptical laughter, making her stop on her tracks. She had chosen the wrong words, hadn't she? "What's so funny?"

"Excuse me if I find your sad story to be nigh unbelievable" he said, his eyes ablaze with scorn "I doubt I'll be able to relate to your pain, seeing as you probably suffer because your dad didn't buy you the baby dragon you asked him for or something"

Azula narrowed her eyes, his mocking attitude bothering her. But despite the way he was speaking to her, she couldn't quite bring herself to trash him with her words. She had to endure everything he threw at her, she had no other choice...

"I don't have petty issues like those, although I'm not surprised to see you think those are the problems I face" she said "Commoners aren't entire able to realize what troubles befall the people of high society"

Sokka shook his head as he stared at her in disbelief, his arms folded.

"You've got guts to tell me how miserable you are" he snarled "You really don't know how ridiculous it is for you to whine about how troublesome your life is, do you? How hard must the Fire Lord's daughter have it! Oh, how difficult her life must be while she gets pampered by servants for twenty-four hours a day! You really have some nerve to come here to say you've suffered a lot… do you have any idea of what I've been through?! I've had to make a living by killing men, and by dying slowly in the process! I can't even look at myself in a mirror anymore! I don't recognize the sound of my voice! It takes every ounce of my willpower for me not to take my own life after the horrors I've seen, and the awful things I've had to do myself! You think your life is hard? Think again, Princess. There are some things in this world you'll never have to face… some things you'll never understand because you live within your bubble of royal pains. Don't you dare come to me telling me how hard you're having it… it's so ridiculous it's disgusting"

Azula's eyes were fixed upon Sokka, the expression on them completely inexpugnable. Sokka could tell she was thinking about something, but he couldn't read her at all.

"I have to say… you're wrong to believe being pampered twenty-four hours a day is fun" she muttered, making him stumble in surprise

"The hell?! Is that all you got from what I just said to you?!" he yelled, staring at her in utter disbelief

"I wasn't done yet" she muttered, though he couldn't help but glare at her in distrust "When, exactly, did I say my troubles were worse than what you've been facing for two years? I don't think I ever uttered such words. On the other hand, yes, you don't really understand what problems I'm faced with. Certainly, I'm not working as a slave or a gladiator, but it doesn't mean I don't have my own issues I must resolve"

"Well, it's really nice of you to clear that up" said Sokka "But turns out I really don't give a damn about whatever is troubling you. Because, hey… turns out the source of the misery I've been forced to face during these years is you. There's no one else to blame but you, Princess… and I hate you for it. You've made me… you've made me what I am now. And I hate myself even more than I loathe you"

_So… is his new muscular build my fault too? Huh… I don't mind taking the blame for that _she thought, keeping her opinion private this time. Letting him know he was physically attractive to her would probably unleash an array of trouble she preferred to avoid.

"Nobody said you had to like me" she muttered, and Sokka glared at her again

"Yeah, no one said that" he said with gritted teeth "But I'm thinking we got sidetracked here anyways. What is it that you want from me?"

"I think you're smart enough to figure that out for yourself" said Azula, her hands on her hips "Why do you think someone from high society would be seeking out an amateur gladiator…?"

Sokka frowned and took a few steps back as his mind processed the information. He began shaking his head in utter disbelief as he looked at the woman in front of him, wondering if she was simply insane…

"No way…" he finally said, making her raise an eyebrow "N-no way. This is absurd. It makes no sense at all…"

"Oh, so your refusal is to believe what I'm offering… it's not as if you were saying no to become sponsored by me, right?"

"You're crazy!" yelled Sokka, still shaking his head "The hell is wrong with you?! What makes you think I would become your gladiator?! Why on earth would I accept a proposal like that?!"

"Why wouldn't you, though?" asked Azula, pressing her back against the wall as she studied the gladiator in front of her.

"You have the guts to ask me WHY?!" bellowed Sokka "Didn't I just say you're the one I blame for my every misfortune?! Didn't I make it clear that I hate you?!"

"Oh, you did… but I told you it's not as if you needed to like me" said Azula, shrugging "Sponsors and gladiators aren't meant to be friends, they're just with each other out of convenience. And it works wonders that way"

"Well, excuse me if I'm being brutally honest with you…" he muttered, his voice shriller now due to his anger "But I'd rather have you burn me alive right here and now than work for you"

"Such an extremist…" said Azula, with a dramatic sigh "So I'm guessing you'd rather be under the orders of that pig, Huang Li, for the rest of your life, which won't be as long as you hope if a gladiator smarter than you shows up in Hui Yi. For all you know, you might die tomorrow… and you say that's more convenient than becoming a sponsored gladiator?"

Sokka stood quiet for a second, pondering her words.

"And what's the big difference if I become your gladiator?" he asked "I might die over there as well…"

"The Superior Gladiator League isn't as heartless as the amateur one" replied Azula "You would have far more benefits than you imagine"

"Oh, really?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "Such as…?"

"For one, I really don't care about the money" said Azula "I wouldn't have a problem giving you… about half the winnings we get on each fight. You probably won't be in risk of getting killed, at least, not most of the time, since the outcomes of these fights aren't decided over death"

Sokka narrowed his eyes. That did sound far better than what he had to deal with on a daily basis at Hui Yi's arena…

"I'll ensure you get trained in combat by the best warriors of the Fire Nation" she said "I'll be financing anything you need: armors, weapons, food, clothes. You name it, you'll get it. It's among the perks of being a royal, anything I ask I can achieve with ease. So… does that sound at least a little more appealing than what you've been dealing with so far?"

Sokka frowned and looked at the floor, thoughtful. Indeed, those options were extremely tempting… but the one offering them to him was Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. He wouldn't even trust her to light up a candle with firebending, she was bound to burn the world down just to prove her prowess… How could he trust her? Why should he trust her…?

Because she might be his one-way ticket back home.

"I won't deny it sounds pretty good" muttered Sokka "But that's not enough for me to sign on. I guess you could say I just don't trust you"

Azula's face grew stern with those words. Who said he had to trust her? This savage knew nothing of the world, did he?

"I can see you don't" she muttered "What will it take for you to trust me, then, if that's what you need to accept my proposition?"

"Oh, no… don't fool yourself. I doubt I'll ever grow to trust you" he said "But there's something I want to know before actually considering what you're offering"

"What is it, pray tell?" asked Azula, disdainful

"What… w-what happened to my tribe?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Azula was a little surprised to hear this question, but she figured he would have asked about his people at some point.

"Truth to be told, I don't know much about it" she admitted "I didn't return to the South Pole after bringing you all the way to Hui Yi, so I wasn't involved in that war directly. But according to what I've heard… your people are still standing strong and fighting against the Fire Nation battalion that was sent to take over the Pole"

Sokka's eyes grew wide; Azula could see hope in his blue irises.

"T-then… they're still there? T-they weren't vanquished or anything?"

"If they had been, you probably would have heard about it, wouldn't you?" she asked

"I thought so as well" he muttered "But maybe you guys thought so little of my tribe you didn't even bother bragging about it. I also thought you might have killed everyone and that's why there wasn't any other Water Tribe slave besides myself…"

"From what I know, matters at both Poles are still ongoing" she muttered "The war at the North Pole gets fiercer by the minute because the waterbenders aren't easy to defeat. And according to some rumors I heard… there seems to be a waterbender down at the Southern Water Tribe as well. It seems he's leading the warriors now, or so say the rumors"

Sokka's eyes widened even more. It was good to hear his friends and family were still alive… but that waterbender leading the warriors couldn't be anyone other than Katara…

"Is something wrong?" asked Azula, reading his expression

"N-no… well, yes. There's still something else I want to know" he muttered "You didn't send anyone after the rest of the warriors once you caught me… did you?"

"After the ones that fled? No, there was no point in doing that" she muttered "I thought that you were their leader. By taking you out, they would be in disarray, unsure of what to do, unable to organize themselves… it was like killing a beast by its head, if you know what I mean. But as it turns out, the beast suddenly burst out another head, so my efforts were seemingly in vain. You don't need to worry so much over your friends; I didn't hunt them down after catching you. But I really don't know anything for certain about what has happened down at the South Pole ever since… I can look it up, though, if you're really that desperate to know"

Sokka nodded, his heart leaping with joy. He still loathed her, but she had given him the best news he could have asked for…

"Is this all you needed to know for you to decide to join me?" she asked, folding her arms

"It's what I needed to know…" muttered Sokka "But I still have two more conditions"

"Two more?" asked Azula, irritated "Exactly how whiny can you get? Do you realize what great honor you're being presented with? I'm even negotiating with you and you still want more?!"

"If you want me to be your gladiator as badly as it seems, then yes" he said "You can go find someone else if you want… but if you want me, then you've got to deal with my conditions"

Azula felt like striking the man in front of her with a jolt of lightning. How dared he act so high and mighty? He was just a pathetic gladiator! And she was the Princess of the Fire Nation! How dared he…? But then she realized she truly needed him. She wasn't bound to find another gladiator of her liking… even though she didn't like this one as much as she could have. He complained too much. She sighed and muttered.

"What are those conditions, then?"

Sokka was surprised to hear her comply. He didn't expect Azula to be so keen to have him as her gladiator… she could have anyone else. Why him? Why go along with anything he asked for? It was suspicious, extremely suspicious…

"Well, first of all… I want to take 75% of the winnings, not half and half"

"Done" said Azula "I don't care about the money, I think I already said that"

"Right…" muttered Sokka "The last one is… once I achieve whatever goal you have in mind to accomplish with me… you'll let me return to the Southern Water Tribe"

Azula stared at him, aghast

"What?" she said, in such tone that Sokka could tell her patience was in shambles by now

"You don't think I want to stay a slave forever, do you?"

"You don't think I care for your wishes, do you?" she asked mockingly "Just how much more do you plan to patronize me?"

"Just a little more, don't sweat it" he replied, a feisty smile on his face

"I refuse to agree to that" grunted the Princess "It's ridiculous. I have no reason to go along with any of what you've asked of me"

"I thought so too" muttered Sokka "Yet you seemed oddly keen to put up with everything I've said. Why? What makes you so desperate to have a gladiator? Why are you so intent on having that gladiator be me?"

"I have my reasons" replied Azula, lowering her gaze. Sokka frowned

"Oh, really, now? What are those reasons, then?"

"They're none of your business" grunted Azula

Sokka let out another bark of laughter as he stared at her in utter disbelief

"And you want me to just accept without questioning you at all…?"

"Indeed" muttered Azula "I've given you enough quarter already for you to keep on demanding more from me"

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. As I said, I don't trust you at all, and I'm not signing up on this crazy scheme if I'm not sure I'll survive"

"What do you mean you're not sure you'll survive?" repeated Azula, getting more annoyed by the minute. Why did this man have to be so difficult?

"You're refusing to tell me whatever you want to achieve with this" he said "You keep avoiding saying why you need me, what's the purpose of what you're doing. I don't want to get into this if I don't know what your goal is… because, for all I know, you might just be using me for entertainment. Your life might have become extremely boring lately and you're looking for any form of fun… and to watch me wither and die out in the Superior Gladiator League might just be the most enjoyable idea you've come up with in a long time"

"That's stupid" said Azula "If I wanted to see you die, I would kill you myself. I would enjoy it far more that way"

"Yeah, well, turns out you Fire Nation people are famous for being insane sadists. The more you play around with me, the more fun you'll have when you destroy me"

"Oh, you're such a fool" she said, shaking her head in disapproval "Do you really think that if I simply wanted to have fun, I wouldn't be able to find something far more interesting? Gladiator battles aren't really that appealing to me. I have better things to do… and I'd get them done if I didn't need to tend to something right now. And the only way I can tend to it is by getting a gladiator"

"I don't get it" said Sokka

"Nobody said you had to understand anyway" said Azula "The sole thing you're concerned about is that I'd enjoy watching how you suffer until you die… well, it's not going to happen. I want you to live and triumph"

"Why, though?" asked Sokka "What's the real goal of what you're doing? Just say it already, will you?"

Azula sighed and lowered her gaze again.

"I have two objectives, if I think about this on the long run" she muttered "First of all… I need you to defeat someone's gladiator. And I need it done as quickly as possible. You'll have about one month to train to be up to the skill of this gladiator… then, you must fight him. And you must win, no matter what. Understood?"

"Uh… okay…" said Sokka, gulping. Who was this person Azula seemed to hold a grudge towards? Why did she need him to smash his gladiator so badly? "What about the other goal, then?"

"It's something… something I realized just now, actually" she said "Truth to be told… if you achieve victory on your first fight, you might be the person I need to help me accomplish the biggest of my feats so far…"

"Right… can you be direct and say what you want already?" asked Sokka, growing impatient

"I want you to become the top gladiator of the Superior Gladiator League"

Sokka's jaw dropped in quite a comical manner. Azula, though, wasn't amused. Her stare was steady on his eyes, proving to him that she was serious about what she'd just said.

"Y-you… you're crazy, woman" he said, unable to believe her statement "You… you really are crazy"

"That does seem to be the popular belief…" she muttered, playing with her bangs as Sokka yanked the short stubs of hair that grew on the sides of his head.

"You're insane!" he concluded, turning to her again "How can you even suggest I become the top gladiator?! I'm not even the best in the amateur league of Hui Yi!"

"You're giving up before even trying?" asked Azula, disappointed

"Please, cut the crap!" yelled Sokka "You're talking about the Superior League! They have benders there and all! How on earth do you want a simple non-bender like me to beat them?! Maybe I'm good against people like me, but against benders I'll be toast!"

"Which is why you'll be trained so you can fight benders on even terms" said Azula "You had a few tricks up your sleeve today against the dart man, proof you're smart enough to come up with ploys that might give you the upper hand even against the most skilled benders. Also, rules are very different in the Superior Gladiator League… there are several non-benders amongst the top fifty gladiators"

"And what makes you think I can be one of them?" asked Sokka, his eye twitching

"What makes you think you can't?" replied Azula "Just imagine the glory you'd attain… the top gladiator, a non-bender. People would be in awe and they would hold you in high honors, no matter if you're a slave or not"

"That's likely, but still…" mumbled Sokka "I don't know. It sounds fishy. But… if I manage to become the top gladiator, you'll let me return home?"

Azula's brow contracted as she pondered her options. She would rather have him prove he was worthy of the position of first gladiator of the ranking during a few weeks or months… but she didn't have much of a choice at this point.

"Yes" she said, and Sokka jumped, surprised

"I… I thought you'd refuse" he admitted

"Well, I didn't" said Azula "Do we have ourselves a deal, then?"

Sokka didn't really know what he was getting himself into… and he probably didn't want to know either. This was bound to develop into something beyond his control, something absurd that he wouldn't understand, since he didn't understand much already anyways. Why did Azula need a gladiator? Why him? What was the point of having him become the top gladiator of the Superior League? He wanted the answer to these questions… but he figured he would find out soon enough if he was patient.

"Deal" he said, extending his hand towards her.

Azula stared at the hand, unsure if she should grasp it or not. It was a ridiculous notion, a Princess shaking hands with a slave… but he had seen her as equals back when they were at the South Pole. Perhaps she should return the favor now…

Both felt a jolt when their hands touched, no matter if Sokka's was covered by a glove. The most physical touch Sokka had had lately was when he had been forced to strangle a man to his death… Azula didn't happen to touch much people either, and for him to be the one she touched, of all people… but despite the turmoil of feelings within their souls, their eyes didn't betray them as they held the other's gaze, both boiling with determination and certainty.

An alliance was formed then, one that would last for many years, one that would eventually develop into something beyond either of their reasoning at the moment… because right now, the sole conviction they both held was that they had become sponsor and gladiator.

"Very well" said Azula, letting go of his hand "Let's head out. There's a lot to do, and not much time to get it done"

"Uh… wait, what?" asked Sokka "Head out where?"

"You don't expect me to stay in Hui Yi, do you? We'll go to the Capital and then I'll find a good master for you. We won't stay here, so bid farewell to the town if you think you're going to miss it"

It dawned upon Sokka that he was actually going to leave Hui Yi… somehow, the thought was so exhilarating that he forgot for a minute all his reserves about Azula being the one to get him out of the dreadful town; he thought he would die here, but knowing now that he was given a chance to a slightly better life…

"I don't think I'll miss it at all" he said, smiling slightly "But I can't just head out. I have to get my stuff first…"

"Fine" said Azula, slightly exasperated "Go pack quickly, I'll wait for you by the carriage"

"I won't take long, don't be so cranky" he said "It's not as if I had much to pack anyway…"

"Do you want me to feel sorry for you?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow

"Uh… no?" said Sokka

"Good. Because it wasn't working anyway" she said "Get a move on, will you?"

"Fine, fine…" said Sokka, glaring at her as he exited the room.

Sokka sprinted down the stairs, his heart beating wildly. Once or twice he had thought about escaping the gladiator barracks and head down to his Tribe on his own… there were only a handful of guards surrounding the arena and all its adjacent buildings, and he could have overpowered them… well, maybe not. The guards were firebenders, well fed and rested, while he hardly ate two meals a day and was forced to overexert himself with the fights, which weakened him thoroughly. So escaping, leaving Hui Yi, was nothing but a dream he didn't even want to think about, especially since he believed his fate as a gladiator was well-deserved. But now…

Ty Lee couldn't help but stare dumbly after Sokka as he ran to the door, straight towards the barracks where his belongings awaited him.

"So… he survived" said Mai

"Why wouldn't he have?" asked Ty Lee, surprised

"I don't know… I have the feeling there's something odd with Azula and this guy" muttered Mai "She dropped that Water Tribe slave here two years ago, didn't she? And the Blue Wolf has been here for two years… he has tan skin, blue eyes… don't you think it could be the same person?"

"It could be" said Ty Lee, thoughtful "So you think there's some bond between them, right?"

"There could be. I don't know" said Mai, shrugging

"I hope not" said Ty Lee, sighing as she thought about the man that had passed her by a few seconds ago

"Why?" asked Mai, although she was certain she didn't want to know the answer

"Because if there's nothing between them, then maybe I can go after him!" said Ty Lee, smiling broadly

"You'll never change, will you?" said Mai, rolling her eyes

"Quit being so stingy!" said Ty Lee "Just look at him! He's so handsome that if Azula wasn't to take him as her gladiator, I'd be the one hiring him!"

"Did you forget so quickly about what you just saw him do to the dart guy?" asked Mai, skeptical.

Ty Lee winced and flashed her friend a guilty smile

"W-well… when you remind me of that he's not so charming anymore… but still! Do you think Azula would mind if I got involved with him…?"

"Yes, she would mind very much" said the Princess, walking down the stairs and overhearing her friends' conversation

"O-oh… y-you really would?" asked Ty Lee, blushing as she smiled guiltily

"I don't want my gladiator distracted by anything" grunted Azula "I want him to focus on his training and his fights, nothing else. If you want a man to fool around with, go find your own"

"Oh… so you won't lend me yours, no matter what?" said Ty Lee, pouting "It's a bit weird to hear you consider him to be your property or something already…"

"He's getting sponsored by me and he's a slave, therefore he belongs to me" said Azula matter-of-factly.

"I have the feeling owning such a good looking guy might make a mess out of you…" muttered Ty Lee "It might be you the one who ends up distracted, if you know what I mean…"

Azula stared at her sternly

"That's so ridiculous it's not even funny, Ty Lee" she said, heading towards the door "Come on, it's time to leave"

"You really should hold your tongue once in a while" muttered Mai, and Ty Lee chuckled

"You'll see I'm right, you'll see… want to bet on it?" she asked "If Azula doesn't get smitten over him, I'll pay up ten thousand yuans, but if she does, you'll be the one paying me!"

"You're becoming a betting addict, you know?" said Mai, as they crossed the doors.

Azula stood next to the carriage; the driver had dozed off on it and hadn't realized the Princess was back. Azula's gaze was fixed upon the alley from where she expected Sokka to come from at any moment now. She hadn't thought it would take too long for him to say his goodbyes to Huang Li and the other gladiators, but she had no choice other than to wait for him to show up.

"But the thing is…" muttered Mai to Ty Lee "Even if she were to fall for him, do you think he would be interested in her? It doesn't seem likely to me if she's the one who got him to become a slave in the first place…"

"Well, I really don't know if he'll want her or not" muttered Ty Lee "I just wonder if he'd be interested in me…"

Mai sighed and shook her head, thinking her friend was definitely wrong in the head. Just then, Sokka came out from the alley carrying with a rugged bag of faded blue color on his back.

"I hope you said goodbye to Huang Li for me" said Azula, smirking cruelly

"It's the first time he seemed to be happy to see me alive" muttered Sokka "What exactly did you do to him?"

"You should be asking what he did to anger me instead" said Azula.

Ty Lee cleared her throat and looked at the Princess, begging her with her eyes to introduce her to the handsome slave. Azula glared at her and sighed, giving in for once.

"These two girls are my friends, Mai and Ty Lee" she said, pointing at both of them "Mai, Ty Lee, this is… Sokka, was it?"

His heart lurched when he heard his name for the first time in two years. The surprise in his eyes was evident for the three girls, who stared at him in confusion

"Did I get the name wrong?" asked Azula

"N-no, no…" he muttered "It's just… I hadn't been called by my name for a long time. Huang Li used to call me Dumberang, my gladiator name was the Blue Wolf… It's been ages since I'd heard my real name"

Mai didn't seem to care either way about his words, although Azula actually felt moved, despite herself. She wondered if he was thankful because she had called him by his rightful name… as for Ty Lee, her eyes were quickly flooded with tears and she jumped at Sokka, clinging onto his arm while squealing:

"Oh, you poor thing! Don't worry, we'll make sure your life is much, much better than it used to be!"

"Speak for yourself" grunted Azula, as she opened the carriage's door, waking up the sleeping driver with her action "Come on, let's go"

"I'll sit down next to you!" yelled Ty Lee, still holding Sokka's arm.

Sokka didn't find her strange fascination with him to be entirely uncomfortable, he was a man and having a girl so interested in him was considerably nice… but she was awfully clingy, something he didn't find too enjoyable.

Azula and Mai took her seats at one side of the carriage, both bothered by Ty Lee's behavior, but for her sake, they decided to keep quiet. Ty Lee jumped in afterwards and Sokka followed, dropping his luggage on the carriage floor after closing the door behind him. Azula stared with distaste at the old, filthy bag, which made Sokka smirk. Making her uneasy felt like just a small token of the payback he owed her for the two years of suffering she had forced upon him.

"Say… what's with this necklace of yours?" asked Ty Lee, returning him to reality "Most guys don't wear this sort of thing"

"Oh, it's… it's something I used to wear back in the Water Tribe" he said, confirming Mai's doubts. He was definitely the very slave Azula had brought to Hui Yi "It's pretty common down there"

"I see…" said Ty Lee "You have some weird markings on your neck, though… what's with that?"

Sokka would have been bothered by the way the girl was detailing him, but the question gave him the possibility to glare at the Princess that sat across him

"Maybe you can ask her instead…" he muttered

Azula smirked at his words.

"You can't possibly be implying it was that painful… most men enjoy having a woman's nails on their skin"

Azula's insinuation made both Mai and Ty Lee blush, but Sokka didn't think much about the Princess's innuendo.

"I advise you to have a psycho with freakishly long nails clawing at your neck before saying anything like that" he grunted "It took ages for those stupid wounds to heal, and don't get me started on the burn mark on my stomach…"

"I thought you were tough enough to bear such marks with pride" said Azula "Apparently I was wrong…"

"D-don't act as if my toughness was to be doubted!" he yelled, angrily

"Then be a man and quit whining so much" she stated with another smirk, to which Sokka had no answer at the moment. He hoped something useful would come to his mind… but to his dismay, no witty reply came. He was left to glare at Azula, who kept smirking proudly.

Ty Lee didn't cling onto Sokka for the rest of the trip and she only asked him a few questions, but they weren't anything personal anymore. She didn't know what the deal was between Azula and her newly appointed gladiator, but she could tell the guy next to her seemed to hold a certain craze towards the Princess. She was better off by not getting involved in whatever weird relationship this was…

Mai thought the question she had asked Ty Lee earlier had been answered after witnessing the way the slave ignored Ty Lee and focused solely on arguing with Azula. No man in his right mind would ignore the perky girl in such manner when she was pretty much throwing herself at him… and he ignored her because he was too busy with Azula. Mai didn't know if it was a good thing or not… but she had the strange feeling that whatever relationship was brewing between Azula and Sokka wouldn't be anything similar to what had been seen between gladiators and sponsors so far.

The Princess, on the other hand, didn't seem to think much of the current happenings as she was busy envisioning what her next moves would be… she had her gladiator, but that was just the easiest part of her plan. The difficulties were only about to begin…


	6. Chapter 6

The trip on the carriage wasn't much fun for anyone, although Sokka was particularly uncomfortable by it. Ty Lee had fallen asleep halfway to their destination and she hadn't found anywhere better to lay her head than on his shoulder. His arm was already numb, but he didn't dare move and wake her up. To his slight irritation, the Princess had also dozed off with her arms folded across her chest. Not even as she slept she seemed to stop machining evil ploys… or so thought Sokka as he glared at her. Mai was staring on through the window, her mind off someplace else as she stroked her belly. Sokka thought her behavior was a little strange, but he didn't think she would want him interrupting whatever thoughts were coursing through her mind.

It was irritating that he couldn't just stare ahead without his gaze falling upon the figure of the sleeping Princess. He tried to avoid it, but somehow his eyes kept focusing on her… well, it wasn't that big a deal anyway, was it? The only other conscious person in the carriage was looking out, so it wasn't as if she would judge him for staring at the Princess…

Truth to be told, he had been quite unfair to her. It did seem like she stopped thinking about her cruel plots at least when she was asleep, she looked somehow calm, at ease… no, maybe not. The arms crossed across her chest were proof of her aloofness: she seemed to be isolating herself from the rest of the world somehow. Sokka wondered if her friends were aware of the problems that troubled her, or if she had kept those matters secret even from them… Why did she need him so badly? Why him and not some superior fighter? He wasn't the best combatant out there, there was no doubt about it… and why did she want him to become the top gladiator of the Superior League? It made no sense no matter how he tried to think about it… what secrets did this woman hold behind those closed amber eyes?

The carriage came to a halt suddenly, bringing him out of his train of thoughts, and he was thankful for it, since his eyes had been intent on studying the Princess without his awareness. The sudden stop woke up both the sleeping girls, and to Sokka's relief, Ty Lee finally got off his shoulder, letting him massage it to try and regain the circulation through his arm. Azula's eyelids fluttered and Sokka could see her pupils were trying to get adjusted to the light as she blinked and rubbed her eyes with her hands.

"Had a nice nap?" he asked her, smirking slightly.

Azula hadn't intended to fall asleep, but she hadn't been able to help herself. And to think the slave in front of her had witnessed her sleeping face… a mild blush showed up on her face as she glared at him.

"Sure I did!" said Ty Lee, smiling. Sokka raised an eyebrow, wondering if he hadn't made it clear he was talking to the Princess.

"Uh… g-good to know" he muttered, smiling a little "Why did we stop?"

The carriage door swung open then. The driver held the door's handle on his hand as he bowed and stated:

"We have arrived to lady Ty Lee's home" he stated

"We're at the Capital already?" mumbled Azula "That was fast... or maybe I slept too much"

"The second option sounds more accurate" said Mai, smirking a little

"Well, this is my stop!" said Ty Lee "I'll see you girls next week... I hope we don't have to go ride across the country again"

"We probably won't have to" said Azula, still drowsy

"And you..." said Ty Lee, smiling kindly at Sokka "I hope things go well for you. I might catch one of your matches some day, maybe. See you!"

Sokka had half expected Ty Lee to throw some insinuation at him, or at least to wink towards him or something... but her smile seemed sincere and honest this time, no romantic intent on her words or countenance… why? As the girl got off the cabin, Sokka couldn't help himself but think Fire Nation women were crazy.

The driver returned to the front of the carriage and they were back on the move soon afterwards. Azula kept staring through the window until Ty Lee's house disappeared from sight.

"Where will we drop you off, Mai?" asked Azula

"At my house, I already asked the driver to leave me there." replied the woman "I know my parents' house is closer to the Palace, but I'd rather go home for the day than deal with them"

"Are they back in the city right now?" asked Azula

"Yeah... they're dropping by for a few days. I can't wait for them to go back to Omashu already"

"Omashu..." repeated Azula "That name really rubs me the wrong way. They should change it to something more suitable for a Fire Nation colony"

"Something like what?" asked Mai

"You won't even let the city keep its name?" grunted Sokka, interrupting the conversation while glaring at Azula

"Maybe, maybe not. What is it to you?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow as he stared back at her, defiantly…

"Cut it out" said Mai, surprising them both. For just a brief second they had forgotten she was on the carriage with them "If you want to argue, do it when you're on your own. I don't want to hear your dumb spats"

"H-hey, it's not over anything dumb!" said Sokka

"It's dumb to me" said Mai, yawning "Politics are boring"

Azula rolled her eyes, used to her friend's attitude, but she decided not to add any comments. She wasn't proud of letting her emotions carry away with her simply because her gladiator kept pressing her on subjects they would never agree on… arguing with him was far more fun than she remembered. It probably hadn't been that way back when they first met… or had it? She sighed, trying to pull herself together somehow…

Next to her, Mai caressed her womb once more, and the movement caught Azula's eye. She hardly knew anything about gestation, but it was likely the bumpy ride and happenings hadn't been too kind to Mai nor to her baby.

"Are you faring okay?" asked Azula

"I think so" muttered Mai "But I'm feeling sick right now. I was told this pregnancy flu was variable for each woman… and it seems mine comes and goes as it pleases. It's so annoying…"

"Oh… so you're pregnant" said Sokka, understanding now why the woman stroked her belly

"How observant" Azula mocked him, to Sokka's irritation "We should give you an award for that"

"HEY! Quit being so…!" started Sokka, but the carriage came to a halt, interrupting whatever he was about to yell at Azula.

The driver opened the door again as he announced they had arrived at Mai's home. The woman had never been more relieved to see to her house.

"Good, I can finally leave you two to your silly quarrels" she said, smiling slightly "I'll see you both around… I might watch a few of your fights, gladiator. I'd like to see how you fare against professional fighters. And Azula… good luck"

"Good luck?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow

"If you don't know what I mean just yet, you'll probably find out eventually" said Mai, giving the Princess a frightening smirk "As commoners say, 'hang in there'"

"W-what are you talking about, Mai?!" asked Azula, but her friend stepped down from the carriage, chuckling.

The driver returned to the front after closing the door, and Azula kept glaring at Mai until the girl entered her house and was blocked from sight.

"You have… weird friends, I'd say" muttered Sokka

"They're really odd indeed" said Azula "Though I normally understand what Mai implies with what she says…"

"Ah, she's just playing you, don't sweat it" said Sokka, shrugging "It's the same thing you do with me all the time, isn't it?"

"I don't know. It's Mai we're talking about… she's not the type to do those things" mumbled Azula, crossing her arms and legs as she pondered the meaning of Mai's words.

"Still, I have to say they don't really come off as the type of people I'd expected to see hanging around you" said Sokka "You don't seem to have very compatible personalities, I think… I don't know any of you well enough to say anything for certain, but the little I know makes me wonder how on earth you became friends"

"I won't deny we're very different from each other" muttered Azula "We met when we were very young, at the Fire Nation Academy for Girls. I instantly seized everyone's attention, since I was the Fire Lord's daughter, but I didn't want a group of moping idiots following me everywhere just because I was a Princess. So I was heartless towards every single girl at school, pushing them away… only two stuck by me despite it all. I would always reduce Ty Lee to tears with my words or my fire, but oddly enough, she'd always come back to me. As for Mai, she never cared for what I said and she had quite a crush on my brother… so, by the end of it, they were the only two girls I ever befriended"

"Doesn't sound much like friendship to me…" muttered Sokka, grimacing "Sounds like Ty Lee is a masochist and Mai was using you to get to your brother"

"If she had been, she would have no obligation to spend time with me anymore" said Azula "My brother has been gone for almost ten years, give or take, and Mai married another man. If she was my friend just so she could spend more time with Zuko, she would have given up on being by my side ages ago"

"Huh… I see" said Sokka

"There are other things that keep us together anyway" said Azula "But I don't see why I should tell you anything else. You already know more than enough"

"Gee, so secretive…" muttered Sokka "I hope you know I'm curious by nature, so if you hide too many things it'll be hard for me not to go looking into them"

"Well, if that ever happens you just have to remind yourself who you're dealing with" said Azula, smirking "I thought you hated me so much that being under my service revolted you… now you want to know more about me?"

Sokka blinked blankly and nodded

"Yeah, you're right. I forgot who I was talking to"

Azula chuckled and shook her head, staring out through the window again. Several people halted the happenings of their daily lives just to stare in awe at the magnificent carriage, something Azula enjoyed thoroughly.

"But… can I ask what's your brother's story?" asked Sokka, and her satisfied expression vanished immediately.

She narrowed her eyes and stared at Sokka with slight irritation, but Sokka, despite starting to regret asking the question, didn't weaver.

"My brother was banished" she said, curtly "My father was ashamed of him and sent him on a quest so that he could learn the true meaning of honor as he attempted to accomplish my father's orders"

"Huh…" said Sokka "You seem awfully troubled by it… do you miss him?"

Azula laughed and stared at him in disbelief.

"Miss him? Who do you take me for?" she asked, making Sokka frown

"I just thought…well, I miss my sister a lot" he said "And I haven't seen her in two years. I just figured the same could apply to you"

"My life is far better without my brother in it" said Azula, and Sokka glared at her

"Your heart is made of ice, isn't it?" asked Sokka

"Sounds like a contradiction: a firebender with a heart of ice" said Azula, smirking "Is your heart a piece of burning coal even though you're a snow savage, then?"

"My heart is a common, regular human heart" said Sokka "I don't know what's wrong with yours, though… I can bet you have ice flowing through your veins too. You're really cruel not to miss your brother even in the slightest"

"You don't understand anything about me or about him" said Azula "So quit judging me"

"There it is, the girl of the mysteries…." said Sokka with a dramatic sigh "Well, whatever. Don't even know why I'm bothering to ask all these things"

"Neither do I" said Azula, staring at her nails.

Sokka glared at her once more, especially since the claws he blamed for the scars on his neck were in plain sight at the moment. The carriage stopped once again, and the driver opened the door

"The Royal Palace" he said, bowing and taking a few steps back.

Sokka's eyes grew wide instantly. Reality hadn't dawned upon him until then.

He was at the Fire Nation Royal Palace.

Azula stepped off the carriage quickly, and she expected Sokka would follow, but he didn't move. She turned and glared at him, irritated.

"Well? Do you plan to make a living from within the carriage?" she asked.

"I'm just… taking in what's about to happen" he muttered, gulping as he picked up his pack and braced himself to enter the last place on earth he wanted to be in.

The Royal Palace of the Fire Nation awaited him, the open doors beckoning him and Azula to enter its premises. Not even in his wildest dreams he had imagined he would come here… well, maybe in his wildest dreams, when he thought he could get inside, slay the Fire Lord and free the world from the evil of the Fire Nation. But he never thought he'd be entering the premises of the Palace guided by the Fire Princess he loathed, by the Fire Princess who had hired him now to be her gladiator. The whole situation was so twisted that it wasn't even funny at this point.

"Something wrong?" asked Azula, the grimace in his face prompting her to inquire for the reasons behind his troubled appearance.

"I… I'm just trying to cope with reality" he muttered "This is so unbelievable… I'm about to head into the Fire Nation Royal Palace… it makes no sense"

"No, it doesn't" agreed Azula "But you're coming in anyway. Move"

Azula walked past the gates, the men who stood guard next to them bowed down to her instantly. Sokka followed and was even more annoyed to see Azula didn't even bother acknowledging the men who had honored her by bowing.

"You should be a little nicer to your guards, you know?" he said, walking quickly to keep up with her pace

"Why?" asked Azula "They're doing their job, I've got my own matters to deal with. What do you think am I doing wrong?"

"Well… thank them, at least, for doing that job!" said Sokka "They'd probably do it with a smile if you're nicer to them!"

"Their faces are always covered: they could be toothless and I wouldn't even know" said Azula "Thus, I don't care if they do their jobs smiling or not. It's their job; it's not as if they were supposed to enjoy it"

"Yeah, I guess that's true to the Fire Nation" grunted Sokka "You guys don't care about anyone's feelings, for what I know"

"I never thought you'd be such a sensitive man" Azula mocked him, to his dismay "I figured you were tougher than that…"

"Having feelings doesn't make anyone weak!" he squealed, blushing

"I have to disagree" muttered Azula, as they walked inside the building.

Sokka forgot their discussion as he looked around, taking in every detail. The Palace was extremely majestic, so much that a man such as himself seemed completely out of place within it. Paintings by great artists decorated the walls, an extremely soft and clean carpet spread under his feet… this life was beyond him, no doubt about it. But it wasn't as if he wanted to live like this, to be honest. He would always pick returning to his family over becoming a rich lord if he was allowed to choose whatever life he wanted…

"Where exactly are we going… and what are we doing?" asked Sokka, gulping

"Is something the matter?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow

"Let's just say I feel extremely uncomfortable here" he muttered

"Don't worry, it's not as if you'll be staying too long" said Azula, making him jump

"Huh?"

"I'm simply looking for a servant" said Azula, stopping on an intersection of hallways and looking around.

"Would any servant cut it?" asked Sokka, looking behind him "There's a weird looking dude walking over there…"

Azula looked towards the direction Sokka was glancing at and nodded in approval

"Yes, any of them would do" and, looking at the servant "Gen, I need of your services immediately"

"Oh, Princess!" said the servant, cutting the distance between them with quick strides "I'm glad to see you have returned!"

"Whatever" said Azula "I need you to set up a room for this man"

Gen stared at Sokka, puzzled. He had to be sixteen years old or younger; the green in his eyes betrayed him as a former Earth Kingdom citizen.

"Who… is he?" asked Gen "He looks strange…"

"Is that any of your business, Gen?" asked Azula

"W-well, it is, Princess…" muttered Gen "Because if he's an important person, I should get a very good room ready…"

"Oh, don't worry. The simplest room available will be more than enough for a guy like him. And he's not staying for too long anyway"

"The simplest room?" grunted Sokka "You know, you could be a little more courteous!"

"I think I've shown you more courtesy than what anyone expected me to" replied Azula "Besides, the room you'll get will be the best place you've ever slept in even if it's the worst chamber in the Palace"

Sokka narrowed his eyes, irked; Azula returned his glare and Gen stared at both, still completely confused about the relationship between the Princess and the strange man with blue eyes.

"Uh… I'll go get the room ready, then" said Gen, smiling as he tried to walk away

"Stop" said Azula, holding Sokka's gaze for a second longer before looking at his body up and down, to Sokka's slight discomfort "Do this moron a favor first and get him something decent to eat. Clearly he hasn't had a real course of food in years, if he ever had one to begin with"

"I had several back when I was at the South Pole" said Sokka, cranky "And it's your fault that I'm underfed now"

"A gladiator will fare better if he's underfed rather than overfed. He'll be more agile" said Azula, smirking

"You really are heartless, you know?!" said Sokka, irritated

"Uh… w-would you follow me, Sir…?" asked Gen, uncomfortable by the spat

"No need to be so formal with him, he's a slave. You're even above him, Gen" said Azula "And he's called Sokka"

"Oh, then, Sir Sokka… I mean, just Sokka!" he corrected himself as Azula raised an eyebrow towards him

"Right…" said Sokka, and with a last glare towards the Princess, he followed the servant towards the kitchen.

Azula watched them leave and headed towards her particular office, a place where books and scrolls of her interest were stored. Once she was inside, she looked through several of them, browsing their content while making quick decisions. She studied upon the rules of the gladiator industry, fitting them into the tight schedule she was developing, and afterwards she took a catalogue filled with information regarding the most skilled warriors of the Fire Nation. A familiar name caught her eye, the name of a man who had trained her brother so many years ago… She wondered if he would agree to train a gladiator.

She spent almost an entire hour fixing her plans carefully until she realized her newly appointed gladiator was bound to be in his room by now. Somehow she felt compelled to check on him… and she figured she might as well let him know he would only be spending one night in the Palace if he had the luck to be accepted by the master she believed most suitable for him. But the very second Azula stood up, the door swung open. The Princess looked up quickly and wasn't too pleased to see her two advisers and caretakers staring at her sternly.

"Azula" said Lo, or who Azula thought was Lo "Why did you leave all of sudden this morning?"

"Where did you go to?" asked Li

"If you wanted to know so badly, you might as well have tagged along" grunted Azula, glaring at them both "It's none of your business anyway. I have errands to run now, so get out of my way"

"You don't need to be so abrasive, Azula" said Li

"We are only ever trying to aid you" said Lo

"Well, you've done a great job until now" said Azula "I don't need any assistance from either of you at the moment, so let me leave already"

"Azula, we are simply concerned for your wellbeing" said Lo

"After the news you received this morning…" said Li

"Yes, I'm supposed to be extremely shaken over that, I know" said Azula "But I'm not. I'll get my way somehow"

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked both old ladies at unison

"It means what it means, you don't need to know" grunted Azula, frowning as she headed to the door, walking past both women, but then she stopped on her tracks "Although, if you wish to make yourselves useful somehow… tell my father I wish to meet with him. I want to discuss a matter of great importance regarding my engagement. And once you're done with that, go staff my barge. I need to travel tomorrow morning, make sure all preparations are ready by then"

"But Azula…" said both of them, albeit they knew Azula would ignore them now.

Azula didn't feel much remorse for dismissing Lo and Li in this manner; they were becoming extremely irritating lately. If they knew what she was up to they would surely report to her father… and she was the one who had to explain the situation to him very carefully, or else everything would go to waste. Lo and Li used to be her most trusted advisors, the people she turned to every time she needed help… they were her firebending teachers as well, despite not being benders themselves. But, as of late, they seemed to do nothing but keep an eye on her, watching her as if by her father's orders, as if she wasn't to be trusted… she had no idea if she was simply being paranoid nowadays or if her fears were completely understandable, but she couldn't bring herself to confide in Lo and Li anymore.

She walked down one of the most secluded hallways of the Palace and headed towards a room with a half open door, the plain chamber she had instructed Gen to set up for Sokka. She didn't know if the gladiator was done eating already, but she had her answer when she peeked inside the room and saw him spreading the contents of his filthy bag on the mattress. The delicate sheets were suddenly covered with dirt, weapons and a handful of worn out clothes that contrasted clearly with the neat room.

"You're about as subtle as a Komodo Rhino" Azula said, her eyebrows rose.

Sokka hadn't noticed she was at the threshold of the room and he jumped instantly, his knife in his hand

"D-don't sneak up on me, will you?!" he yelled, irritated

"You should be a better listener" she said, smirking "A good warrior would have heard me approach"

"Yeah, yeah, very funny" he replied

"You… don't seem to have many clothes" said Azula, walking towards the bed and picking up what she thought was a shirt… or was it? She couldn't tell. Sokka snatched it away with a small pout

"Well, what did you expect?" he grunted "It's not as if I had the privilege to go out shopping if I wanted to"

"You'd like to go shopping…?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "Not a very manly thing to do, if you ask me…"

Sokka flushed and glared at her, wondering why he had been charged with this form of divine punishment. He had always thought the universe hated him, but this was the final straw.

"I'm manly enough not to beat you up for that comment, how's that?"

"Gee, such a gentleman" Azula mocked him; Sokka rolled his eyes and decided to ignore her presence for as long as he could.

He set his club next to the bedside table and his boomerang and knife atop it, just in case he had to be at the ready. But when he was about to set his bomb bag inside a drawer, Azula stopped him

"Don't get too cozy, as I said you won't be staying here for too long"

"Huh? You plan to kick me out at some point?" asked Sokka, glaring at Azula

"Not exactly" said Azula "I plan on having you move somewhere specific once I've found the right master for you"

"Oh… huh?" asked Sokka "Why not make the master move here? Surely you can pull some strings…"

"The man I have in mind lives in a far away island" muttered Azula "He wouldn't move here no matter the circumstances. Also, he's extremely picky about his students. Make sure not to come off as an inept savage, understood?"

"He's picky?" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow "And what are we going to do if he says he won't teach me?"

"He's the best sword master around… but if it comes to that, we can always find the second best, despite it all" said Azula shrugging.

Sokka's eyes grew wide in surprise at hearing what his possible master's specialization was.

"S-sword master, you said?" he repeated "I'll be taught how to use a sword?"

"You didn't expect to keep fighting with your primitive tools forever, did you?" asked Azula, smirking "You need to rise your game. As you are right now, even the worst of the professional gladiators would take you out"

"Yeah, I already thought so, but you insisted on having me as your gladiator" muttered Sokka "You should've thought about my level being so low before hiring me, you know?"

"Oh, indeed" said Azula "I guess I should kick you out right now and go find myself someone else. Is that okay with you?"

Sokka winced and stared at her with irritation

"N-no…"

"Then quit complaining" said Azula

Sokka rolled his eyes again and nodded

"Fine, fine, whatever you say" he grunted "Why are you here anyway?"

"On first instances, to see if you were comfortable on your new accommodations" she said "Are they to your liking?"

"Well… you were right" he admitted "This room is far more luxurious than anything I'm used to… it's slightly intimidating, but I guess I'll get by"

"You don't need to worry, you'll only have to 'get by' for one night" said Azula "We'll depart to find your master tomorrow morning"

"T-tomorrow?!" asked Sokka, surprised "Oh… okay. I guess that's better than staying here anyway… this place freaks me out"

"You should stroll down the Royal Gallery" said Azula, smirking "My brother was terrified of that place, if I remember correctly, and he was used to the life in the Palace… you should go there sometime"

"Uh, I'll pass on that, thank you very much" said Sokka, yawning "Gee, I'm so tired… This has been the weirdest day of my life. I'm just waiting for something to happen so that I wake up and discover everything's been a dream"

"I'm pleased to hear you think of it as a dream rather than a nightmare" said Azula, smiling

"Well, there's weird stuff in dreams too" said Sokka "And you're the weirdest of it all"

"I'll take that as a compliment, Blue Wolf" said Azula, smirking "Will you keep using that name in the Superior League?"

"Sure, why not?" said Sokka, shrugging "Well, it's been fun and all, but I think I'll jump in bed right now, if you don't mind…"

Azula grimaced and shook her head

"I do mind… I don't think you should get in bed yet. Go take a bath. You're filthy and so are your clothes"

"Hey! I washed myself and my clothes back when I was at Hui Yi, before you showed up!" yelled Sokka

"May I remind you you're a 'wolf'?" said Azula "If you throw water on a filthy wolf, the stench only gets worse"

Sokka frowned and smelled his armpits. Either he was too used to his odor or the Fire Nation Princess had extremely delicate senses.

"You've probably spent ages without a proper bath… well, if you ever took one, that is" said Azula, shrugging and making Sokka glare at her again "So go take one. There's a good bathroom two doors down"

"How would you know if I've taken a proper bath or not?" he grunted

"It looks like you haven't, judging by where you came from and where you've spent the last two years of your life" said Azula "You probably don't even know how to use soap"

"Well, seeing as how you're being so awfully insistent about me taking a bath, I'm guessing you want to be the one to teach me how to use soap?" he said, winking at her.

He was amazed to see her blush intensely as she stared at him in dismay, disbelief and anger

"What on earth are you implying, you disgusting savage?! Are you stupid?!"

"I'm implying you want to take a bath with me, of course!" he said, chuckling as he walked to the door, Azula's glare followed him closely as she blushed even more "Okay, relax, girl! I was only joking! Although seeing you get flustered like this proves you're not really heartless… seems like you're capable of emotions, alright" he said, patting her on the head as he passed by next to her "See you around, Princess…"

Her title seemed to lose all dignity when he was the one uttering it, and Azula couldn't help but feel outraged at the thought. How dared he speak to her in such manner…? If anyone seemed keen to take an accompanied bath it was him, not her! She never mentioned such a ridiculous idea! He was truly a pervert, wasn't he? Back when they met he had been talking about her 'blue fire', now he wanted to bathe with her?!

She found herself even more flushed when she saw him take off his shirt as he walked towards the room she had signaled at him. His back seemed to mock her… and for reasons she couldn't understand, she couldn't get her eyes off it.

"Make sure you get plenty of rest, you savage!" she yelled "You'll be up at six in the morning, you heard me?!"

"Yeah, yeah…" he said, shaking his hand carelessly as he entered the bathroom.

It took a few minutes for Azula to calm down, for her heart-rate to return to normal. She felt so humiliated… How dared he? And... Why hadn't she found anything good to retort at him with? She was never breathless... she always had the last say and thus she left everyone else in shock, not the other way around!

"Princess..." said a servant, bowing down after approaching her "The Fire Lord is ready to meet with you"

"W-what...? Oh! Right!" she had half-expected Lo and Li not to keep to her orders, and she could have been pleased to discover her assumptions had been wrong if she wasn't so flustered by her gladiator's words. "I'll be there shortly"

The servant nodded and bowed again before leaving. Azula kept taking deep breaths to calm down somehow; she couldn't face her father in such a state of disarray… She forced herself to remember her goals, to try and think of Sokka not as himself, but simply as a gladiator she needed for her own ends… She knew she was nowhere near true tranquility, but she had no more time to waste dawdling and thinking about that despicable Water Tribe man…

She sped down the hallways, holding her head high as she thought over and over again about what she would tell her father… she halted in front of the Throne Room, took another deep breath and walked inside it.

The red curtains by the sides of the door fluttered when she walked next to them, the curtains behind which she had hidden several times during her childhood to sneak into war meetings she hadn't been allowed to attend. They were also the drapes from where she had seen her grandfather, Azulon, telling her father that he wouldn't allow him to become Fire Lord because that was his first born Iroh's birthright. To Azula's amusement, though, her father became Fire Lord anyway. She wasn't entirely aware of the circumstances that allowed him to become the supreme ruler of the nation, but she didn't care much either way. Her father had gotten his way… and so would she.

She knelt down in front of the throne, her head tilted. The powerful fire surrounding the throne was very bright, so much that Azula could hardly make out the features of her father through the flames.

"You have requested to meet with me, Azula" said the deep voice of the Fire Lord "Lo and Li told me you wished to discuss matters regarding your marriage"

"Indeed, father" muttered Azula, nodding slowly before raising her head "I didn't have a chance to convey my thoughts about this arranged marriage before… and I wish to do so now"

"What do you have to say about it?" asked Ozai

Azula tried her best to keep calm despite how nervous she felt. She knew she could pull this off somehow; and truth to be told, she had no option but to succeed.

"I do not believe I should be betrothed to Admiral Chan's son" muttered Azula

Ozai remained silent for a few seconds that felt far longer than they were. Azula's body was almost betraying her mind by having her shiver: it was the first time she had defied her father's authority so directly.

"What objection do you have to your engagement?" asked Ozai

"I… I have met Chan's son beforehand, and we didn't get along at all" said Azula "I know enough about him to deem him unworthy of becoming my husband and a member of the Royal Family"

"I see…" muttered Ozai "In all honesty, I don't believe there will ever be a man worthy of you, my daughter"

"In that case, I might as well be the one to select my unworthy husband" said Azula, smirking slightly.

Ozai chuckled, to Azula's relief. This was going far better than she expected.

"Your wit becomes sharper every day, Azula" he complimented her, before returning to the topic at hand "Regardless, I promised Admiral Chan I would reward him for his deeds at the South Pole in any way he wished. For me to call off your engagement, you must prove how unworthy this man is. I will offer the Admiral another reward in the form of anything other than handing you over to his son"

"I would appreciate that, father" said Azula, even though she felt compelled to tell her father the truth right away, to change the tides by letting her father know what had truly happened at the South Pole… but her mind stopped her on her tracks. If she were to tell him the truth now, obtaining a gladiator would have been for nothing…

"You will have one opportunity to prove his incompetence, Azula" said Ozai "Use it wisely"

"I will, father" said Azula "One opportunity is all I shall need"

"I have no difficulties to believe that" said Ozai, smiling "Do as you wish, Azula. You have one month, though. The marriage contract is to be closed by then, and if you haven't proven Chan to be as undeserving of you as you believe him to be, you will be marrying him without protest"

"I understand. I will not fail you, father" said Azula

"You would only be failing yourself, Azula, if you fall short on this particular mission" said Ozai "As I said, no man will ever be worthy of you in my eyes… marrying you to Chan's son or anyone else makes no difference to me. But I do advise you to begin searching for suitors. I'm not getting any younger, and it would be adequate for you to be married by the time you inherit the throne"

Azula couldn't help but smile at his words. She had known for a long time that her father wished for her to be his heir, but it was the first time he said it so bluntly.

"I will do so, father" she said, nodding "I deeply thank you for allowing me to prove myself. I will do my best to succeed"

"I do not doubt that you will" stated Ozai "You are, after all, my daughter. Make the most of this opportunity, Azula"

"I will" she said, nodding with determination and certainty. Failing wasn't even an option anymore: Sokka had to defeat Chan's gladiator.

_**It's been a while since I wrote an Author Note here xD I hope you guys are enjoying Gladiator! ^^ I leave you this note to ask you wonderful readers if you'd be so kind to make a Gladiator Sokka art so that I could use it as a cover and promotional picture for this fic… I would very much appreciate it if any of you could pull this off! I'm really short on money so I can't commission anyone to do this, and I don't think my skills as an artist are good enough for what I have in mind… so if you wish to help me out, just PM me and I'll give you in full detail what I want from the fanart ^^ Thanks beforehand to anyone who gives this a go! ^^**_

_**I'm also going to direct you guys to another fic I've been working on in conjunction with a good friend of mine. It's called Apartment 614, and naturally, it has Sokkla in it ^^ what else could you expect if I'm involved with it? xD anyhow, it would mean a lot if you go check it out! ^^ That's all for now, folks! ^^ you can expect chapter seven sometime soon! ^^**_


	7. Chapter 7

Sokka wandered around the deck of the ship, stretching his arms and legs. They had been at sea for an entire day now, a day he had spent sleeping in the cabin he had been provided with. He was slightly bothered to see he was the only slave with a room of his own. The rest were working hard to keep the ship afloat, but the general quarters awaited them on a lower deck of the barge after they were done with their duties.

The Royal Guards performed rounds of vigilance repeatedly, keeping an eye on every happening on the ship. Azula had stayed in her particular cabin, the finest on her Royal Barge, until she was told they were nearing their destination. Upon this revelation she headed towards the main deck and waited as patiently as she could, on the very same throne she had sat on back when she had been about to arrive to the South Pole. Looking back, she hadn't imagined those events would prove to be as important in her life as they had been… she had expected to be facing an ordinary mission, and she had been proven completely wrong by the dumb peasant that had been walking on the deck of her barge for a while now.

"Having fun?" she asked him when he passed nearby. Sokka gave her one of his typical glares.

"Why do you ask?" he grunted

"I figured you were enjoying yourself this time…" she said, staring at her nails "On the previous occasion you rode on my barge you didn't have the chance to explore anything, so I guess you're doing it now"

"Funny how you conveniently seem to forget what my situation was last time I was aboard this thing" growled Sokka

"You don't expect me to apologize or feel sorry for you, do you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow

Sokka frowned and shrugged

"Not really…"

"Good to know. Because I wasn't going to anyway" she replied curtly, smirking a little.

"I never expected you to do either thing" said Sokka, scowling at her as he approached her "Well? Isn't it about time you tell me who exactly is the man you want as my master?"

Azula raised an eyebrow again; her hands came together, fingers intertwined, as she stared at Sokka with disdain.

"You think it's 'about time' I do something? Since when do you call the shots here, snow savage?" she asked, pronouncing the last two words in a particularly poisonous manner.

"It's not like you've minded before…" he said, smirking "I was under the impression we had quite a balanced relationship"

"I think I'll be the one deciding the terms of our… whatever this is" she said, refusing to use that particular word; Sokka chuckled at that.

"In any case, I still would like to know a little more about the man I'll be facing" said Sokka "Isn't there anything you can tell me about him?"

Azula frowned, deep in thought.

"I guess it won't hurt to comply…" she said, sighing "His name is Piandao. He used to serve the Fire Nation military as a very high-ranked officer, but he resigned his post a long time ago and devoted himself to teaching the ways of the sword to those he deemed worthy of the knowledge"

"Huh…" said Sokka, folding his arms as he digested the information "I think you said he was the best sword master, didn't you?"

"He has earned himself that reputation" said Azula "Which he believes entitles him to be picky and extremely particular about whom he takes as his pupils; truth to be told, I doubt he's half as difficult to convince as he tries to make it seem…"

"What do you mean?" asked Sokka, frowning

"He's known for disagreeing with the Fire Nation's ways, he seems to despise the Royal Family… yet he had no inconveniences in accepting my brother as his disciple many years ago. I always guessed a great sack of money was involved with that"

"That's really low" grunted Sokka, frowning

"Which is why I have a bag of money in case he decides to turn you down" said Azula, beaming

Sokka couldn't do anything but stare at her, dumbfounded

"You're crazy, woman…" he stated, not for the first time "Well, you did say he would teach those he deemed worthy… maybe your brother was worthy, despite his lineage"

Azula snorted in derision, shaking her head

"Finding my brother worthy speaks ill of whatever criteria he used to base his decisions… but anyhow, if you're right about that, it's likely he'll accept you. I hardly know you, but it's not difficult for me to see you're a thousand times the man my brother will ever be"

Sokka couldn't repress a slight blush until he realized it was likely not a compliment to him but an insult towards her older sibling. The story of Zuko of the Fire Nation was still something confusing for him… why had the prince been exiled? Why did his sister hold such contempt towards him? Why didn't she miss him? Even when he used to fight with his sister Katara all the time, he couldn't stop missing her… perhaps Zuko missed his sister even if she didn't miss him…? Well, he knew nothing about the banished prince anyway. He might be even crueler than Azula herself…

"I'm glad you think I'll have it easy, then" said Sokka "Is he a ruthless teacher?"

"I wouldn't know" said Azula; her eyes grew colder at his inquiry.

"Why?"

"Because I wasn't taught anything by him"

Sokka stared at her, surprised, and then he smirked cruelly

"Huh, I think someone was found unworthy…"

The sudden change in Azula's façade surprised him. She didn't shift, she didn't move, she did nothing but close her eyes. But Sokka found himself regretting what he said instantly. He knew not of what he was talking about, that much was clear…

"Uh… hey… don't be so mad, I was just joking…" he mumbled, troubled

"It surprises me you think I could be found unworthy" Azula muttered, her voice trembling slightly. Was she angry, or was she sad? Sokka couldn't tell at all "I know now I didn't judge you wrongly when we first met"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?" asked Sokka, blinking

"I guess matters must be very different down at your Pole… perhaps if I had been born there, my life would have been easier to cope with"

Sokka stared at her in shock, completely confused now.

"Okay, I'm guessing this is the part where you clear up whatever it is you're trying to say…" he suggested, trying to smile positively at her. Azula ignored him as her eyes focused on the shore the ship was approaching rapidly.

"We are getting close to Shu Jing" she stated, disappointing Sokka completely

"Hey! Don't change the subject!" he yelled

"Didn't you wish to know more about Piandao?" asked Azula, standing up "Well, you're about to meet him at last. You'll be able to create your own opinion about him soon"

"B-but…" he said, she ignored him completely as she approached the edge of the ship.

As soon as the ship was docked and the ramp was lowered, Azula headed down. Sokka followed her, still concerned about what he had said previously, but they were stopped by a sudden call from the ship's captain.

"P-Princess! What are you doing?" he called, terrified

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked, turning towards him, sternly "I'm heading towards my destination"

"But you shouldn't go on foot!" exclaimed the man "The palanquin will be ready shortly, just wait for a little…"

"There's a very steep climb ahead of us" said Azula "I don't trust the weak palanquin bearers I've been provided with to lift me and bring me all the way to Piandao's home. They might even have me fall to the ground if one of them loses his footing. It's less risky for me to walk"

"B-but Princess…"

"My decision is final, Captain. I will have half the Royal Guards come with me; the rest of them and the crew will stay on this ship" declared Azula.

The Princess resumed her strides; Sokka followed her without a word when he realized she wouldn't wait for the guards. Azula led the way uphill from the dock through the marked path towards the small town that waited far ahead. Sokka was surprised she had refused to take a palanquin when the road seemed a bit too rough for a Princess to choose walking…

"Why didn't you ride the palanquin?" he asked, speeding up to keep up with her pace and so that the guards behind him wouldn't overhear their conversation

Azula studied him with her eyes for a second before answering his question

"I think I already told you Piandao has a very low image of the Royal Family. Showing up on his doorstep clad in honors, despite how well deserved they are, could ruin our cause completely. I'm doing this mostly for your sake, so you'd better be grateful"

"I just hope it's really worth the bother…" said Sokka, stretching his arms

"Also, walking is a good form of exercise" said Azula "You'd better have enough stamina to make it through the whole hike"

"I don't think I'll disappoint you on that" replied the gladiator.

They continued in silence for a few more minutes, but Sokka wouldn't stop eyeing her with curiosity and concern… how upset was she after his stupid statement? What was so upsetting about it anyways? He was certain that the nature of their relationship, whatever it was, allowed him to annoy her and vice versa…

"Are you mad?" he finally asked, staring at her with slight guilt

Azula frowned at turned to him, surprised

"I think I'll answer you with another question… since when do you care if I'm mad or not?"

Sokka was taken aback by her inquiry, and he jumped back. What was wrong with him? Why was he asking something so strange? What did it matter to him if she was mad or not?

"I… I…" he mumbled, troubled

"You are a very unusual man, that much is obvious" said Azula, smirking "I'll assume you're only concerned since you fear retribution at some point if you anger me… and you'll pay if you ever offend me, don't misunderstand. But what you said back then didn't infuriate me, if you truly need to know"

"Right…" muttered Sokka, still eyeing Azula with slight concern. Was that statement for real…?

"Well, now you can stop focusing on me and look around you" said Azula, and Sokka obeyed her, looking at the island with interest "You'll probably be trained by Piandao on these very terrains. It will be better for you to familiarize yourself with them right away"

"Good idea…" Sokka complied, and he halted on his footsteps when he spotted something that stood out amongst the green fields around him "What's that?"

Azula stopped too and stared in the direction Sokka was pointing towards. A black rock surrounded by damaged grounds stood a few yards away from where they were walking. Azula took in the scene and continued walking, shrugging.

"I don't know. I'd never seen that before"

Sokka stared at the stone with interest for a few seconds, wondering how something so out of place stood in the middle on this island, on a patch of blackened earth… he sprinted to keep up at Azula's pace, and before he knew it, they were a few feet away the town. He smiled at the thought of heading into the town, wondering if he might get something to drink since he was very thirsty… but Azula suddenly grabbed the neck of his shirt and pulled him away from the main road that led inside the town.

"W-what are you doing?! What's your fixation with my neck, woman?!" he yelled "Do you want to give me a new set of scars?!"

"Sounds like a fun idea, but we can leave that for another occasion" she said, smirking as he glared at her "I don't want to head into the town. It'll cause a ruckus I'd rather avoid if the Princess is spotted by townsfolk"

"Huh?" asked Sokka, surprised "Why's that?"

"Rumors would spread about me heading into Piandao's home" said Azula "And I wish to avoid them as much as possible. I don't want anyone knowing I'm up to something with a gladiator until you enter your first fight"

"Why?" asked Sokka again, but Azula didn't answer by doing anything but dragging him, still by the neck, to walk by the surroundings of the town "You can let go of me now, you know?"

Azula smiled slightly, but she compelled and let go of him. Sokka fixed his appearance, still scowling at the Princess, and he looked around, thoughtful.

"So… you say you don't want to walk into town… where exactly does this Piandao guy live, then?"

Azula didn't respond with words, she merely pointed towards the cliff that stood at the other end of the town. An incredible palace stood atop it, and Sokka couldn't do anything but stare in awe as they walked towards it… was this Piandao some sort of nobleman? Was he paid so well for his services he could afford such a place? Would a man like that accept him as his student? He would find out soon enough…

After about fifteen more minutes of walking, they finally arrived to the front door of the mansion. Azula and Sokka arrived panting slightly, although they both refused to show any weakness to the other since such was the extravagant rivalry that had been born between them; they refused to weaver, no matter how their bodies begged them for it, if it meant casting away their pride. The royal guards behind them didn't have such stubborn minds, though. They rested with their hands on their knees as they tried to catch their breath; some even had collapsed on the floor, whining as they finally rested.

"So… what's the plan?" asked Sokka, standing up straight.

"The plan is that you'll let me do the talking" stated Azula "You will keep quiet and only speak if spoken to, understood?"

"Uh… okay, I guess" muttered Sokka, as Azula took one of the knockers and struck the door powerfully with it twice.

"What will you… what will you have us do, Princess?" said the Captain of the Royal Guard, walking up to them

"You will stay outside" declared Azula, turning towards the man

His face was blocked from sight, but it didn't need to be for his affront to be completely clear to the Princess's eyes.

"I cannot accept that, Princess. It could be dangerous inside that palace for you!" he claimed, and she sighed, rolling her eyes

"What will it take for all of the Fire Nation to realize I'm not a simple-minded Princess? I'm far more capable a fighter than you are, and I would be able to stand my ground against any man inside this building"

"The man inside this building isn't just any man; you know that much" said the Captain

"I do" admitted Azula, as Sokka grew impatient behind her and walked up to the doors "But he's also a highly ethical man in his own way. He wouldn't strike me down, he knows the consequences of said actions and he's become too much of a pacifist to cave into such dangerous deeds"

"I… I'm sorry, Princess, but I cannot let you head inside this mansion on your own" said the man, tilting his head

"You aren't to allow me to do anything, I'm the one who makes decisions here. You'll be doing what I command you to do, nothing more"

"But Princess…" The Captain would have complained a little more if a frantic banging behind him hadn't interrupted the conversation.

Azula jumped and turned around, and she was shocked to see her gladiator striking the doors in front of him with savage force, both knockers at the time, with a very dumb look on his face as he gritted his teeth.

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot?!" yelled Azula, forgetting completely about her Captain.

Sokka blinked and turned towards her, still holding the knockers.

"No one was coming, so I thought maybe they didn't hear when you knocked…" he said, innocently.

"Did you see the size of that mansion?!" yelled Azula "It's so big it would take ages for whoever's inside to come open up!"

"That's true, but it's so big it's likely they didn't even hear your weak knock!" he squealed, stubbornly.

"And so you had them put up with your ridiculous striking on the doors, such a genius plan! You've made a fool of yourself and the rest of us as well by demonstrating how uncivilized you are!" she yelled.

"Oh, come on!" said Sokka, rolling his eyes "I don't think the big master will refuse to teach me just because I was banging the…"

Sokka was interrupted when one of the twin doors swung inwards. He was still holding onto the knocker and he squealed as he almost fell to the floor, struggling to maintain his balance. He stumbled; once he had regained his footing he saw the shoes of the man who had opened the door. Slowly he raised his head, unsure if this was the powerful master Azula had been telling him about…

A man with a stern face stared back at him once their eyes met, a man with gray hair that matched his beard. He seemed disapproving of Sokka's strange pose… especially since he was still holding on to the knocker and was bent over as he looked at him.

"H-hey…" said Sokka, letting go of the door's handle and taking a few steps back.

Azula couldn't do anything but glare at him in utter indignation. How had he dared do something so foolish…?

"State your business" said the man, with a bored voice tone.

"I wish to have a word with Master Piandao" said Azula, stepping forward.

The man analyzed her quickly: the ornamental hairpiece on her head gave her away immediately as the Fire Lord's daughter and current heir to the throne. She didn't remember him from her previous visit to the castle, but she wasn't the type to recall the faces or names of people she found irrelevant.

"What do you wish to ask of him?" the man inquired

"I wish to request he trains this man" said Azula, pointing at Sokka, glaring at him as she did so, telling him with her eyes to abide by the guidelines she had already given him.

The man raised an eyebrow, probably certain his master wouldn't accept such a sloppy student, but he prompted them to head inside. Azula glared at her Guard's Captain one last time, making him freeze in the spot, and she entered the premises of Piandao's home followed closely by a nervous Sokka, who had only started to feel pressure while they walked through the garden. Would he really be up to the sword master's standards?

"Are you faring alright?" asked Azula, without looking at him.

"I… I guess. I'm sorry for what I did" he muttered "I'm not very patient"

"You'll learn to be with Piandao, if he accepts to teach you" said Azula "And you'd better learn everything he attempts to lecture you in. I don't believe my brother grasped every bit of knowledge Piandao laid out for him… if he had, he probably wouldn't have been banished"

"Huh…" said Sokka "Well, I think I'm a good learner, so if he takes me I think I'll pull it off…"

"Good to know you're confident" said Azula, as their guide walked inside the main building.

They remained silent for the rest of the journey. After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached a wide and handsome room where a man sat in front of a table, a brush in one hand as he held his sleeve up with the other. He didn't give away any signs of having noticed their arrival. Azula stepped forward.

"I am pleased to see you're doing well, Master Piandao"

Piandao moved swiftly the brush in his hand, finishing his calligraphy with a flutter without paying much heed to Azula's statement. He settled the brush down carefully, as to avoid dripping any ink on the desk, and he stood up, bowing curtly.

"I am very surprised to find myself facing the Fire Lord's daughter once again" he replied "You were barely a toddler the last time I saw you, if I recall correctly"

Sokka couldn't help but frown at those words as his imagination took flight. What had Azula been like as a baby? He could picture with ease a tiny, chubby child with a frown on her brow, her golden eyes gleaming with malice as she unleashed blue flames for her hands…

"I was five years old at the time, Master Piandao" Azula stated "Old enough to begin instruction under your guidance, if the situation had allowed for it"

"Indeed" said Piandao "You could have made a good student, I believe… but it is a little late to mourn what happened so many years ago. You have grown to become the spitting image of your mother, although you carry yourself in a manner that's very much like your father"

Azula flinched at the comment about her mother, her eyes blazing with fury. She was certain Piandao held a dormant despise for her family. Still, his ways to go about that hatred weren't the ones a regular man would take, seeing how he was quite an unusual man… but comparing her to her mother was by far one of the most offensive acts he could have performed so far. She wanted to be nothing like her.

"To what do I owe, then, the pleasure of this visit?" asked Piandao, his face solemn.

"You instructed my brother Zuko in the way of the sword many years ago" said Azula "Back then you were considered the greatest sword master in the Nation, and I believe you still hold said title. This compelled me to request you to take this man as your pupil" she said, extending her hand towards Sokka.

Piandao focused his attention on the young man now, his eyebrows coming together slowly as he analyzed him. Tan skin, blue eyes…

"What is your name?" Piandao asked

"I'm Sokka, sir" muttered the gladiator, his own name still feeling foreign in his mouth.

Questions arose within the swordsman mind immediately. He turned once more to the Princess and said firmly.

"I wish to talk to you, in private. Now"

Azula stared back at him with determination and followed Piandao into the room he guided her towards. Sokka gulped, wondering if his name already made him unworthy. He sighed and dropped to the floor, enjoying the feel of sitting down after what felt like hours of walking. The man next to him glared in irritation

"So… what's your name?" asked Sokka.

"Fat" replied the man quickly.

"Fat, then…" muttered Sokka "Can you bring me a glass of juice?"

Fat stared at Sokka with disbelief as the sitting man smiled broadly at him.

Piandao closed the door behind him once the Princess had entered the room. He seemed deeply offended.

"What are you attempting to pull off, Princess?" he asked, glaring at her.

"I'm merely requesting you to help Sokka become a swordsman" said Azula, feigning innocence

"It seems unreasonable, though, for a Princess to request said services from me" grunted Piandao "I believed you had come to ask for me to teach you, and I meant to overlook the fact that a woman has no business in swordsmanship seeing as you're of Royal Lineage. I would have tested you to see if you were worthy… but you have come to ask me to teach a Water Tribe man to fight with swords? Why do you bring such a man with you, if the Poles haven't been conquered? What are you up to, Princess Azula?"

Azula frowned. She had hoped this topic wouldn't come up during any discussion with Piandao…

"I cannot come up with an explanation for this…" said Piandao "It's simply absurd. For you to wish to give proper education to a man that doesn't even belong to your country… it's absurd. It makes me wonder if you're attempting to betray the Fire Nation, and that's something I never would have seen coming from you. Explain this to me now"

"I don't see why would this bother you so much, seeing as it's not even a rumor that you feel no love for the Fire Nation" Azula muttered "If you truly believe I'm trying to bring down my father by using foreigners to form an army of some sort, you probably should side with me"

"I have no wishes to go against my country" said Piandao "And I will not take part in whatever schemes you have created to overthrow your father"

"In that case, you will be pleased to discover I'm not attempting to seize power through a Water Tribe slave, since I don't see what exactly would I accomplish through him anyways" said Azula, folding her arms "I remain loyal to Fire Lord Ozai, and I will remain loyal to him forever. My purpose with the Water Tribe slave is something different…"

"He's a slave?" asked Piandao "How can he be a slave?"

"It's a long story" said Azula "But he's likely to be the single slave native from the South Pole"

"But for you to wish for me to train a…" started Piandao, skeptical at first… but the truth downed upon him quickly, something evident by the emotion that took over his eyes "Of course. He's a gladiator, isn't he?"

Azula nodded slowly as Piandao shook his head in disapproval.

"This is even worse than I imagined" he stated "I will not train a man for something as ridiculous as a gladiator squabble. That must be the most revolting idea the Fire Nation leaders have come up with so far… and I will have no part in it"

"Oh, you're impossible" said Azula, sighing in despair "Stick to your ethics and morale, it doesn't bother me if you do. But as far as I was aware, you only ever refused to teach a possible student if you found him to be unworthy. Being a slave or a general wasn't an obstacle back then, or was it?"

"Times have changed, as you surely know very well" said Piandao "I will not pass on my knowledge of the blade onto a man who will put it to use in a gladiator pit"

"Yet you passed it on to a spoiled prince without any inconvenience, or so I remember clearly" Azula replied, her amber gaze fixated upon the sword master.

"Your brother's circumstances were very different…" Piandao muttered

"Oh, you were simply hoping your teachings would sink in so he could lead the Fire Nation in a better way after my father had passed away, or for him to lead an insurrection of some sort to overthrow Fire Lord Ozai"

Piandao's face grew paler upon her last phrase. He hadn't intended for anyone to realize those hidden intentions…

"It's not so difficult to read through you" she said, shrugging at the shocked look in his eyes "If want you want is money, I'm perfectly willing to pay for the instruction you give my gladiator. Do not make the wrong call, Master Piandao… you may not believe in the ways of the Fire Nation, but you cannot pretend to be an innocent man either. In a way, you were plotting against my father by hoping to use my brother against him. Do you wish for me to unveil said treachery to the Fire Lord?"

"Recurring to blackmail now, I see…" muttered Piandao

"I wouldn't have done it if you kept to the principles you boast so much about" said Azula, shrugging

"Don't speak about my principles as if you knew what you were talking about" grunted Piandao.

"All I know is that you used to accept teaching anyone who proved to be worthy" said Azula "If you find my gladiator to be unworthy of your teachings, I will leave and seek out another master for him. But if you find him worthy, you will teach him. You will take him as your pupil"

Piandao folded his arms, thoughtful.

"If I find him worthy… what exactly are you expecting of me to teach him?"

"Anything he needs to know of the way of the sword" said Azula "He will stay here, learning from you, for a few weeks as I head back to the Capital. Once I settle the conditions of his first combat, I shall come for him. When that fight is done with, he'll be returning here again, and thus will be the procedure from now on if you decide to take him as your student"

Piandao nodded, agreeing. He hadn't enjoyed the absurd training regime he had been forced to abide by when teaching Prince Zuko. The boy was talented despite his impatience, but he only showed up once every few weeks; it was a wonder he had progressed as he had during the years he had been his student.

"I understand" said Piandao "That will come into effect if I accept him, though"

"I thought we had already settled that, yes" Azula said, nodding

"Very well… let us see if your gladiator is truly worth the bother" said Piandao, heading into the previous room once again.

Piandao stopped in his tracks and stared, dumbfounded, when he spotted Fat and Sokka sitting on the floor, sipping the content of two glasses of juice.

"What exactly…?" asked Piandao, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as Fat jumped up in surprise

"T-the man requested a drink… he's a guest, so I couldn't refuse…"

Sokka stood up as well and smiled guiltily

"I'm sorry, sir… I couldn't help myself" he said, shrugging "I was very thirsty…"

Piandao scanned Sokka with his eyes, walking towards him. Sokka must have been an inch taller than him, and his muscular build seemed pretty decent, although he was definitely underfed. Physically, he had potential to be a swordsman…

"Why do you wish to learn the way of the sword, Sokka?" asked Piandao "What purpose would it serve for me to teach you?"

"To be honest, sir…" said Sokka, gulping "Fighting has been the biggest part of my life for a long time, but so far, my skills have only ever been good enough for me to save my own life. When I tried to protect others I cared for, I failed poorly… I might be wrong, but if I were to learn to use a sword, I might become strong enough to fight for those I love"

"Ah, I see…" said Piandao, walking in circles around him "Is that… mango juice?"

"Oh… yes, sir" said Sokka, smiling slightly "At least, it's what Fat said it was… I've never had this sort of drink before"

"You must have had a rough time in the Amateur Gladiator League" asked Piandao "Were you taken there right after you left your village?"

"Uh… yeah, if that's what you consider leaving… being dragged away from my village sounds more like it" Sokka corrected. Piandao stopped circling him.

"Do you believe you're worthy of becoming my student, Sokka?"

Sokka stared back at the man, worried. He gulped again and lowered his gaze, unsure of himself.

"I don't know, sir. I might be… but it's not my call. If you don't believe I am, I wouldn't blame you for it… if you do, I'll do my best to become a better man. But it's not up to me"

Piandao found himself smiling before he even knew it. That wretched Princess had earned herself a gladiator too good for her… he was worthy, alright. Was she worthy of him, though? That, probably, would be up to Sokka to decide some day, but meanwhile…

"I will train this man" he declared.

Azula was so relieved she let out the breath she had no idea she had been holding, and Sokka smiled cheerfully and bowed down in front of Piandao.

"I will do my best to keep up to your expectations, Master!"

Azula raised an eyebrow, wondering why he wasn't so submissive when dealing with her… well, she knew the answer to that question already. In any case, it was far more interesting to argue with him non-stop, wasn't it?

"What will our first lesson be, sir?" asked Sokka, beaming.

"Relax, Sokka" said Piandao "You clearly need to learn to be patient"

"Oh… uh, right. Sorry" said Sokka, scratching the back of his head with a clumsy smile in his face.

"I believe the Princess will be taking her leave now, won't she?" asked Piandao, turning towards Azula

"Yes, I will be on my way" said Azula, and Sokka stared at her in surprise.

"Huh? How come? I thought you'd stay and watch every step of my training…" the gladiator said, looking slightly confused.

"I'm very flattered to see you'll miss me, Sokka" said Azula, making him wince and shake his head in denial "But I have important matters to deal with in the Capital. I will come for you in a few weeks, once I have established you as a combatant in the Superior Gladiator League"

"Oh… okay" said Sokka, now dreading the day Azula would return even though she wasn't even gone yet "Then I'll be free of you for a few weeks?"

"Yes, you will. Enjoy it while you can" Azula suggested, smirking.

"Fat, please guide the Princess outside" said Piandao "Your gladiator will be well trained the next time you see him, Princess"

"I should hope so" Azula stated "Good day, Master Piandao"

Sokka watched as she followed Fat through the door. Perhaps he would miss her, if only a little bit… especially since he wanted to know what exactly had she discussed with Piandao before the man had agreed to teach him. Although, truth to be told, she held so many mysteries that aroused his curiosity that if he had a chance, he wouldn't even know what to ask… Would he discover what she was hiding someday…?

"Are you ready, then, for your first lesson?" asked Piandao, bringing him out of his thoughts.

He could think about Azula's secrets and troubles later, that much was clear; because right now, he would be able to become the apprentice of the greatest sword master. He nodded, pushing everything else away and focusing on the matters at hand as he said.

"Yes, master"

Azula glanced back at the building once she was heading back to port amongst her Royal Guards. It was strange to think she was slightly reluctant to leave behind her gladiator: she hardly knew him yet she felt a strange attachment towards him. Was this the typical bond between a sponsor and gladiator? She forced herself to believe it was, although her heart seemed perfectly convinced of the opposite…

_**I'm very sorry for the delay and the likely delay with the next chapters! My country is going through some seriously troublesome times and I'm focusing on what's happening. I'm trying my best to get writing, but it is a little difficult when people are striking and banging pots and pans all over the place… not like I'm against these protests, but they interfere with my thoughts a little ^^U I'll do my best to keep writing despite it all, so don't lose hope! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for all your reviews, favorites and follows! They make my day! ^^**_


	8. Chapter 8

The weeks Sokka spent at Piandao's house were the best experience in his life so far. At first he was extremely nervous, unsure if he would live up to his Master's expectations, but he had calmed down afterwards as he was given his first lessons, which he enjoyed thoroughly despite how confusing their purpose was.

His first class had been very theorical, but he didn't complain about the lack of action; after two years of coping with violence and aggression he preferred to soothe his soul with words, which was something Piandao took as a very positive sign: he firmly believed that a swordsman who only sought to kill was not a swordsman at all. And so Sokka sat tightly, listening to every word Piandao said, not only because Azula had previously advised him to do so but because every wise word the man emitted was of intangible value. After he was done speaking, the sword Master had unsheathed one of his fine self-made blades and performed several movements so fluently that Sokka was left to gape at him in awe. He had always thought of himself as a decent fighter, but witnessing his new master's prowess he now thought his skills were insignificant.

Before Sokka could process what was happening, Piandao had clad him in a light armor and helmet; he also gave him a wooden sword so he could face against Fat in a practice combat. Sokka had stared at his weapon for a while, insecure of how to use it. He decided to attempt following the words Piandao had said to him not too long before about thinking of the sword as an extension of his body...

Sadly, this didn't work out so well for Sokka since Fat bested him quickly. Fat probably wasn't half the powerful swordsman Piandao was, but he was still above Sokka in what referred to skill. Sokka thought this to be the natural outcome, since the first sword he had ever held was this wooden one, but regardless he found himself attempting to thwart his opponent by analyzing his every move, perhaps locating his weak points... By the third time he faced Fat, he had disarmed him after struggling a little. Piandao was most definitely impressed.

But this hadn't been the sole focus of Piandao's training. Sokka found himself surprised at the unusual tasks the sword master imposed on him from day one, tasks that seemed to hold from little to none connexions with the art of the blade. He followed his every command, though, even if he didn't understand what Piandao wanted to teach him since the man didn't explain himself at all. Piandao seemed to have noticed Sokka had a very agile mind and he expected the gladiator to reach the pertinent conclusions on his own. Still, it wasn't easy for Sokka to find the relation existent between calligraphy, painting, garden rearranging, Pai Sho and sword fighting. Regardless, he never questioned Piandao's teachings out of respect, and the master was very pleased to have such noble student despite his humble origins.

At night, Piandao and Sokka sat down for dinner after a very exhausting day, and the master asked Sokka to explain the circumstances that had driven him to his current state of being Azula's gladiator. Sokka hadn't been too pleased to recall his life's story, but he had complied and resumed his tale to the best of his ability.

"... and so, despite I didn't ask for it and I used to think I'd rather die than serve her, I agreed to become her gladiator" Sokka finished, looking very downcast.

"I see..." muttered Piandao, sipping his tea.

"It's okay if you judge me for being so weak" Sokka sighed "I'm disappointed with myself, to tell the truth... I swore I would never give up to her again, that the next time we met would be the last because one of us would fall, either one... but the minute she offered to snatch me out of that hell hole, I chose a life of indignity. I gave up what little self-respect I had left... I'm the worst kind of man"

"You are being foolish, Sokka" said Piandao "She offered you a far less dangerous fate, she gave you an opportunity of a lifetime. Your decision was based on your survival instincts rather than your pride, thus you made a far more honorable move by accepting her offer than by declining it"

"I don't know about honor, sir" he muttered "I think the last bit of honor I had was left behind in the South Pole"

"You are mistaken. You are, most likely, one of the most honorable men I have ever met"

"I have no clue on what makes you say that... but I certainly don't feel too honorable"

"Honor is a very tricky matter, Sokka" Piandao said "You might spend your entire life trying to understand it, yet moral codes are so strict and detailed that even a life spent studying and living upon the demands of honor might not be honorable in the slightest. Alas, it is our very way of carrying ourselves what defines now honorable we are. Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of those we love, for the greater good? Are we going to keep true to our word to the bitter end? Can we acknowledge that we are not perfect, that there's still a great amount of lessons we need to learn? Will we respect others as we respect ourselves, accepting and embracing what sets them apart from us? A life led by honor goes beyond following rules... a life is only truly led by honor when the person understands the very essence of honor"

Sokka stared at him, dumbfounded, and he blinked twice before frowning as he reflected on his master's words.

"Then I guess I should reflect more upon it… because I don't really know what honor is at all"

"The first step will always be to remain humble, Sokka" said Piandao, drinking his tea "Which is why you're already on the right path to become a better man"

"You said, though, that I was honorable" Sokka muttered "How am I honorable already, if I hardly can grasp what honor means?"

"Your decision back in the South Pole proved you had a very noble heart, Sokka" Piandao explained "You sacrificed yourself and gave your allies a chance to flee from a fight they couldn't possibly win. You could have died, yet you cared more for them and for the sake of your people than for your own"

Sokka blinked blankly once more. He didn't think this much about himself… he hadn't thought at all about his honor ever since he had become a gladiator, of course. It was the most dishonorable thing that could have happened to him…

"But I have killed so many men…" he muttered

"Yet you regret it" said Piandao "Proof you're not heartless, proof you're not a killer machine. Proof you're superior to any man who slays another without a second thought. You know the consequences of death, and perhaps your opponents knew them as well. You honored them by fighting at the best of your skill against them. The winner in a duel of this sort is always the best man"

"I don't think so, sir…" Sokka muttered, staring at his reflection in the green tea he held in his hands "I was… driven by an insane urge to survive no matter the cost. I'm sorry, but I'm not half as noble as you think I am"

"Well, if you think so lowly of yourself, then all you must do is devote your life to atone for your sins in an attempt to live a far more humble and honorable life" said Piandao, standing up from his seat "Much like I have"

Sokka's eyes widened as his master smiled down at him kindly. Was Piandao atoning for his crimes? Was he hiding a murky past Sokka knew nothing about…?

"Fat has already arranged your room. He'll take you there when you're ready to tuck in" Piandao told him, bringing him back to reality "We shall resume your training early in the morning; meanwhile, rest well, Sokka"

"R-right…" said the gladiator, nodding.

Sokka found himself craving rest far more than he believed he would. He ate three courses of meals every day, which was something he had missed incredibly, but he found himself burning out all his energy through the routine of exercises Piandao had him abide by during the first days. He had claimed to have taken on this sudden drastic change on the second day of Sokka's stay in his mansion because a warrior required a body as fit as his mind, and Sokka needed to tone up properly to have a body equivalent to his mind.

After his body and mind seemed to work together properly, Piandao decided to keep him exercising his body in the mornings, but now he had him return to painting, calligraphy, garden arranging and a new activity Sokka didn't enjoy in these circumstances: fishing.

The Water Tribe man, being born and raised in the South Pole, had no problem fishing, but he preferred using spears to catch his prey rather than fishhooks and bait. He had used both means back when he had fished for his family and his tribe, but he thought fishhooks to be considerably ineffective in comparison to spears. Simply put, he was far more skilled with the latter. Yet Piandao had him sit at the riverbank for hours, and whenever Sokka proudly caught a fish, Piandao released it from the hook and unleashed him in the river once again, to the gladiator's dismay. The first time his master had done this, Sokka had protested, but Piandao's sole response was a grin as he told him to put his hook into the water once again. Sokka had obeyed him, a pronounced scowl on his face.

A week after Sokka's arrival to Piandao's doorstep, the student sighed as he faced the ink and paper in front of him, struggling to understand what his master's orders had been just now. At times he had asked him to write down only a few ideograms, other times he had requested haiku, but this time…

"How exactly am I supposed to leave my mark in this paper, sir?" he asked, frowning

Piandao chuckled and walked past him, finally deciding to reveal a small portion of what he had been attempting to have Sokka grasp with his teachings.

"The purpose of this calligraphy exercise is to stamp your identity in the paper. Write your name, perhaps… but stamp it. Just like you would stamp your identity on the battleground with your sword, just like your enemies have stamped their identity with their own weapons as well"

Sokka frowned. That was a hint he had been waiting to hear for an entire week… He looked at the figure of his master, who wasn't watching him at the moment as he was staring out through the window. The gladiator decided to focus on the paper again and he frowned as he faced it, in deep thought. As he would stamp his identity on the battleground…

His latest fights had all ended in the death of his opponent. He had a few scars here and there, and they were marks left behind by his rivals, the stamp they had left on the battlefield… but his stamp on them had been even more potent since he had killed them all. Well, not all… there was a sole exception…

He clenched his teeth as he opened his robe and looked down at his abdomen. The burn mark was still there, not as clear as it had been during the first months after it had been imprinted on his skin, but present nonetheless. He touched it, the pain burning into him again. How had he healed from this wound was still a mystery for him… he received no medical treatment, naturally. He had thought he would have died judging by the pain… but it had subsided slowly, and now it didn't hurt so much. Sokka followed the mark's trail with his finger, realizing he had been branded by it… Azula had been able to stamp her identity on him with a fistful of fire.

An idea came to his mind right then, and he smirked as he finally took the brush with his left hand, spreading ink all over his right hand. He pressed his wet hand to the paper, and when he pulled away, he was satisfied.

"I'm done, master!"

Piandao was surprised at such quick and unexpected response. He approached to oversee what Sokka had done and he was left gaping at the man's extravagant take upon this task.

"Well… that seems a very sincere way to brand your identity" said Piandao, nodding "May I ask how you came to this con-…? Why is your robe open?"

"Oh, I was just… looking at something" said Sokka, smiling with slight guilt "See, every opponent that managed to brand his identity on me ended up dead… except for one. And that's the mark I'm most bitter about, I guess. You can see clearly the shape of her fist on my skin. I was thinking about it… and I figured I could stamp my identity with my hand too, but I decided to use my palm so that it would be opposite to what she did, seeing as she and I seem to go against each other on nearly everything"

Piandao raised an eyebrow, a sign Sokka didn't take too well

"Is something wrong, sir…?" asked Sokka

"Your identity… is the opposite of hers…" muttered Piandao, but he shook his head afterwards, pushing his thoughts away for a moment "Very well, this is a good way to go about this, Sokka. I hope you understand now that none of the activities you've been engaged in is completely independent of the way of the sword. I want you to meditate about this, and do your best to figure out what I was attempting to teach you through every task I imposed upon you. Use whatever means you need, perhaps rearrange the garden again, or go fishing. You're free to do as you wish, but only for a week. I want an answer by then, and I hope it's good"

"I understand, master" said Sokka, bowing down.

Piandao left the room then, thinking now about the way Sokka had branded his identity on the paper. It was oddly unsettling that the man couldn't think of his own life without taking Azula into account… whatever obsession he had with her couldn't be sane. She was royal, and even if she hadn't been of noble birth, she was dangerous and deadly… but Sokka could either learn this lesson the hard way or he could be wise by detaching himself from the Princess before it was too late…

Sokka decided to follow his master's orders and try to reflect upon his training so far, but since he had an entire week he decided to take it easy. He repeated Piandao's tasks, although not in the same manner as before. Now he closed his eyes and attempted to understand what he was doing; the main difference about these circumstances was that Piandao wasn't there to keep watch on his every move. He was truly free to do as he wished… and he would do his best to understand the link between these activities and swordsmanship.

But after he was done with rearranging the garden for the fourth time, he realized he was missing out on a very important factor to achieve his goal. Fat called him for dinner then, and Sokka ate his meal alone, quietly, deep in thought. Before heading to his room he made up his mind about his next take upon the mission Piandao had given him, so he took a detour and found Fat practicing his own calligraphy.

"Excuse me, Fat… where can I get a sword?" asked Sokka.

Fat's hand paralyzed as he stared at Piandao's new pupil with surprise, the ink on his brush dripping all over his fold of paper.

"I… I don't know if the master believes you're ready to have your own weapon" said Fat

"Oh, it's not like I'm planning to keep it" said Sokka "I'm only trying to figure out a riddle he gave me. And I think a sword could help me solve it…"

Fat frowned, which Sokka didn't take as a good sign. He sighed, guessing he would have to ask his master to give him permission to use a sword the next day.

"Never mind" he said, bowing down at Fat "Good night"

Sokka tucked in while wondering how he'd ask Piandao for a weapon… and with those thoughts, he fell asleep. But when he woke he was pleasantly surprised to discover he wouldn't need to ask anything from his master: there was a magnificent sword placed on the top of his room's drawer. Sokka trembled in anxiety as he unsheathed the weapon, the silver blade shone when the light touched it.

Only a few hours later, Sokka was sitting in the yard, the sword in front of him. He stared at it for a while, pondering what to do. It was very beautiful. He never thought this way about any kind of weapon, since to him they were nothing but instruments to kill… but this blade had been crafted so carefully by Piandao that Sokka couldn't stop admiring its every detail. The sword was amazing… and he had to be amazing as well. He had to honor the sword he had been given.

He stood up and took the sword with one hand. He attempted to perform the movements he had seen Piandao do whenever he witnessed his master training… but he tripped with a rock as he walked backwards and collapsed hard on the floor. He rubbed his back and hoped nobody had seen something so dumb. Falling just like that because of a silly stone… no, the stone wasn't silly. The silly one… was him.

Sokka stood up and stared at the yard he had become accustomed to, realizing he had never really detailed it as much as he should have… he had taken every detail about the sword, but not about his surroundings… suddenly, an answer popped up in his head. Piandao had taken him often to paint the beautiful landscapes of the island, forcing him to look once and draw everything as well as he could by memory. It wasn't easy for him and he had often done ridiculous drafts that made Piandao frown. His intention with that had been to have him take in every detail about his fighting ground… the battlefield could be the death of him if his enemy analyzed it better than he did. He took a moment to look around, attempting to retain everything in his mind, and he jumped with his sword once again, this time with smooth movements.

He felt almost like dancing, although he hardly even knew what dancing was. The sword in his hand was really becoming an extension of his arm, just like Piandao had told him when they had begun their training. He closed his eyes as he recalled every rock, every root, every tree, every wall… everything. He jumped atop the bridge that stood over a small pond, still moving his sword slowly, carefully, but with deadly motions. Arranging the garden… it was so he could use his surroundings for his own benefit. He smirked as he jumped over the bridge, landing at the other side swiftly.

The fish that swam in the pond made him recall the task he had despised the most… but what had been the purpose of that particular activity? For him to learn patience. A powerful, deadly and potent strike delivered at the right moment would be far more effective than to display a flurry of inefficient, desperate attacks… He smiled and turned around, running towards the other side of the yard again, and he swung his sword upwards, as if to cut his enemy.

"And thus, I stamp my identity on the battlefield" said Sokka, smiling. He finally understood what he had been taught.

"Well done, Sokka" said a familiar voice, making him jump in surprise.

"S-sir!" said Sokka, looking at his master "I didn't notice you were there… were you watching me?"

"I was" said Piandao, standing on the house's threshold as he stared at Sokka "From what I could see, you have grasped the knowledge of the true art of the sword, and far quicker than I expected you to. You have impressed me, Sokka. You are almost a true swordsman…"

Sokka's eyes lit in joy, but Piandao hadn't finished.

"But there's one wrong thing about what you've done so far" he said, and Sokka's enthusiasm faded. He guessed his movements had been really clumsy… well, he was here to learn. Piandao was to tell him what he was doing wrong, and he would abide by every teaching he gave him.

"What was it, sir?" he asked

Piandao approached with his eyes settled upon Sokka… but suddenly, they went down to the sword in his hand.

"You honored the blade you were given with your every move, but that is not the ideal sword for you, Sokka"

Sokka blinked, surprised. He was certain his master would criticize his fighting style…

"What's the problem with this weapon, sir?" asked the gladiator.

"Its balance isn't the appropriate one for you, it's too short and you could be far more comfortable with a handle fit for you" said Piandao "It is a good sword… but it's not up to your skill. You need a better weapon"

"Will you give me another one of yours, then?" asked Sokka

"Oh, no…" said Piandao, smiling "You will be making your own blade, Sokka"

His eyes grew wide in surprise and joy. He hadn't seen this development coming at all.

The sword Master took him down to his workshop, located in the basement of his grand mansion. After briefly explaining to his pupil the procedures of forging a blade, he presented Sokka the available materials, blocks of different kinds of metals with weights and properties that distinguished them. But Sokka wasn't convinced by any of the metals.

"I see you don't seem to like any of them" said Piandao "Do you have anything better in mind?"

"Well, I…" Sokka's mind suddenly flashed back to the day he had arrived on the island. That strange black rock… he smiled at the thought "I think I do. Can I get my own material to make my sword?"

"I would most definitely approve of that" said Piandao, grinning.

Not too long afterwards, Sokka had led his master all the way to where the black rock stood, several yards from the town. Piandao nodded, understanding.

"This is a meteorite, Sokka. I am surprised to see you wish to use such unusual and rare material… yet I find it very appropriate"

"You think?" Sokka asked, smiling "Wait… a meteorite?! You mean this thing came from space?!"

"It fell here a few years ago" Piandao explained "And it brought a great fire with it. The few firebenders in town did their best to contain it, and after several hours of struggling, they succeeded. Grass has grown in the burned terrains, but the surroundings of the stone are still scorched, as you can see… I find it a good choice, Sokka. I hope it's as good as it is promising"

"Me too" Sokka said, nodding "But… how are we going to move this all the way to the workshop?"

"I guess you will have to be creative" Piandao said, grinning

Not too long after, Sokka found himself with a hammer in hand and a nail in the other, breaking the black stone into fragments. Fat aided him while Piandao watched. Once they had torn the stone to shards, they carried its remains all the way to the castle inside thick bags, and it took them several trips to bring the entire rock to the workshop. They selected the best shards and set them to melt inside a very powerful oven of Piandao's, and so the forging of the sword began.

After a whole night of waiting for the metal to be melted, Piandao instructed Sokka on his next procedures. He repeatedly folded the metal he would be using for the core of the sword, and afterwards he folded two other layers, which were joined together with the material of the core, assembling the blade of the _jian_ sword Piandao had guided Sokka into making. They had also built the sword's handle and sheath, and sooner than the gladiator expected, Piandao presented him the finished product: his very own sword.

Sokka extracted it from its scabbard and marveled at the black blade in front of him. It seemed to fit him really well, this space sword…

"You are now a swordsman, a true warrior" Piandao stated, smiling

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, sir" Sokka said, grinning as well "I would never be where I am if it weren't for you…"

"Ah, but you still are far from reaching your full potential" said Piandao, smirking "Do you think this is all the extent of your training?"

"Uh…" Sokka said, blinking "I guess not, but then… what am I going to do?"

Piandao raised a hand, and Fat threw a sword at him, surprising Sokka. Piandao unsheathed it and smiled at Sokka, his silver blade shining.

"Now it's time for the real sword training to begin"

Sokka thought it was too much of an honor to fight against his master in this manner, and he was also certain he wouldn't win… but he hadn't been this eager to spar with someone in over two years. He smiled and took his stance, getting ready to face his master…

The weeks between her reunion with Sokka and his eventual fight against Chan's gladiator felt extremely slow to Azula. She kept browsing the rulebook of gladiator battles, ensuring she wasn't going against any of the established parameters by entering the tournament. Indeed, she found no prohibitions either for women or royal family members to become sponsors of gladiators… so there was no reason why she could get rejected when she headed off to enroll Sokka into the Superior Gladiator League.

The rules were far more complex than she had imagined, especially in what concerned the fighters' ranking. Apparently they were ranked depending on the amount of points they earned after a battle… Azula had been certain the order of gladiators was simply established over who won or lost most battles. It probably was that way in the Amateur League, but not here… for a split second she wondered if she knew what she had gotten herself into, but she brushed the thought aside quickly. Of course she knew: she was Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. There was no way a silly gladiator tournament would be beyond her.

She hadn't been able to head off to write Sokka into the tournament as soon as she returned to the Capital even when she had intended to do so. There were no vacancies at the moment in the 500 slots of professional gladiators allowed to participate in the league. She didn't despair, though. Her father had given her a month to get her job done, and in one month there were ten discharged gladiators by average, according to the data she had been browsing. Gladiators who didn't participate in any fights for three months or who had a loss streak of twenty fights would be out of the system. They were allowed to return a year afterwards, but not many sponsors would be willing to pay for a gladiator that had been depurated from the ranking.

The morning after her trip to Piandao's island, Azula had sent a member of her Royal Guard to the Capital's Arena to see if there was an available slot for her gladiator. He had returned to inform her that the depuration would be effected in two weeks, and, according to the man he had spoken to, nine or ten slots would likely be cleared out by then. Azula had been waiting for that day to come as patiently as she could, but it had proved to be harder than she imagined. Her mind kept drifting to Shu Jing, Piandao's island, as she wondered if her gladiator was faring well, if he would be a good warrior by the time they met again…

One of the activities she got engaged in while she waited to register Sokka as a gladiator was heading into the royal blacksmith's workshop, tasking him with the job of manufacturing Sokka's new attire for battle. He had left behind his old armor from the amateur arena, and with it she had been able to give the blacksmith her gladiator's measurements. By remembering their first encounter, Azula had decided she wanted his helmet and clothing to be very similar to what he had worn back when he was still amongst his tribe, and she had handed the blacksmith the design for the outfit she had in mind. The result satisfied her when she was called, two weeks later, to see the finished product: the armor was blue and very light. The blacksmith had also developed a gray helmet with the shape of a wolf, just as Azula had asked him to. She had smiled, pleased, as she thought he would definitely earn the name of the Blue Wolf with these new garments.

When two weeks passed, she sent the same member of the Royal Guard to discover if the slots had opened up. He returned with a positive answer, and he urged her to hurry since apparently there only were a few places left by now. She had boarded her Royal Palanquin and had her men carry her all the way to The Grand Royal Dome, the official name of the Capital's Arena.

To her satisfaction, the trip didn't take much time. She got off the palanquin and walked inside the building, which was a thousand times more majestic than Hui Yi's arena. The walls were red and golden, very similar to the Royal Palace, and the lobby was ten times bigger than the one in Hui Yi. Staircases covered by magnificent red carpets led the spectators towards the stands, something Azula knew already since she had been at The Grand Royal Dome several times before. The name struck her as dumb, seeing as nobody royal had ever been involved in the gladiator business… well, nobody before her. Perhaps the name would be far more accurate now…

She sought out a counter that worked in the same way as the one back in Hui Yi, and she spotted one at the left wing of the vestibule. It was given away by the eloquent board behind it where the daily fights had been scribbled across with a very handsome writing; the board also had the top ten fighters of the ranking with their respective earned points. Azula didn't recognize any of the names, but she was certain that by the time she was completely immersed in the business she would begin telling each gladiator apart… for now, though, she had to focus on getting Sokka registered.

A man a few years younger than Azula sat across a counter, writing something on a paper. Azula guessed he was handling the bids, but when she took a good look, she realized he was updating the gladiator ranking, adding the data of someone called "The Murderous Serpent" in the 491th position. She cleared her throat and the man looked up. A tag in his chest revealed his name to be Shoji. Why did he wear a tag, she had no idea, but she assumed it was protocol for workers of the Arena.

"P-Princess Azula!" he exclaimed, setting aside the ranking as he gaped at her with surprise "To what do we owe this honor?"

"Are you the one who registers new gladiators?" Azula asked, heading straight to the point.

"Yes, I am" he said, nodding as he grasped what she was trying to say "Wait, are you… by any chance, will you…?"

"Yes, I have come here to enroll my own gladiator into the Superior League. Do you have anything to say about this?"

"W-well, not really…" said Shoji, tapping his fingers together "There are no rules establishing a royal cannot sponsor a Gladiator, but it might be a little unfair…"

"If it were, a rule about it would have been developed in the first place" Azula said, and the man shrugged, smiling positively

"You must be right. Very well, please fill this form…" said Shoji, handing her paper, ink and a brush "… and after you're done, your gladiator will be inside the ranking. He will be in the last positions right now, once he begins fighting he will escalate through the ranking…"

"Or fall down through it, for all we know" said Azula, taking the paper and filling it immediately "I have a few more questions, but I'll ask once I'm done with this"

"You are free to ask anything you like" said Shoji, smiling. He tried his best to keep a calm façade as he watched the Princess writing the pertinent information on the paper, but deep down he was truly nervous… never had he imagined he would have a chance to talk to a member of the Royal Family…

Azula wrote in all the important information regarding herself, the sponsor, on the first section of the form, and moved down to the next one, the one that concerned her gladiator. She wrote in his fighting name, The Blue Wolf, and moved down onto his specialization. Shoji was surprised to see Azula checking the slot that corresponded to a non-bender and he wondered why would a Princess have a non-bending gladiator… she was bound to find the greatest fighter in town, and those were the firebenders or the earthbenders, not the non-benders…

"I have a problem" she stated suddenly, Shoji jumped as he realized he had been letting his mind wander as Azula continued filling her form "I don't know exactly which are my gladiator's weapons… I have seen a few of them, but I don't know them all for certain"

Shoji looked at the paper. When the fighter was a non-bender, the sponsor had to specify ten weapons his gladiator was likely to use in battle.

"Oh… well, you're the Princess, I can make an exception and accept the form anyway. As soon as you know what his weapons are, write them in" said Shoji, smiling and blushing slightly "Is that okay with you?"

"I would appreciate that" Azula stated, and she continued answering the remaining questions on the form. She signed it when she was done and handed it to Shoji "Why the weapon limit, though?"

"Despite the fact that benders have the advantage over non-benders, it was decided by the creators of the business that non-benders who were taking part in the fights would have a limit of weapons. After all, firebenders only have fire, and earthbenders only have earth"

"It makes some sense…" agreed Azula, nodding

"Also, you should know that your gladiator, seeing as he's a non-bender, will only be allowed to bring five weapons at most with him when he's fighting" Shoji explained "It's simply because carrying ten weapons on him while battling might drag him down… he can select which of the five weapons he'll use out of the list of ten that were written in his form… well, in your case, the ten that will be written in his form" he added, smiling at Azula

"I understand" Azula said "Very well, then… with this, is my gladiator already inside the system?"

"Yes" said Shoji, grinning "I shall write him in on the latest open slot…" and thus he wrote The Blue Wolf right under The Murderous Snake in the list he had been working on earlier, writing he was a male non-bender on the pertinent slots, and also adding Princess Azula as his sponsor.

"Good" said Azula, feeling a sense of accomplishment as she realized that her plan was slowly coming into place… "Now then, when will my gladiator have his first fight?"

"That is up to you, Princess" said Shoji, putting the list aside for a moment "You can issue out a challenge to any gladiator and sponsor of your liking right away, if you want to. You might get challenged someday too, but that doesn't happen often when a gladiator is brand new. You must make your way up in the ranking and eventually challenges will be knocking at your door!"

"I see…" Azula said, thoughtful "Very well, then. I wish to challenge someone"

"Oh… that's great, Princess" said Shoji, smiling as he handed her the list "Here are all the registered fighters with their respective specializations and sponsors. Choose whoever you like"

"Do you know all these men?" Azula asked, taking the list and eyeing Shoji

"I know them all roughly" said Shoji, shrugging "Not all of them are here, you see. There are Arenas all over the Nation and many of these combatants don't fight here but at their sponsors' town"

"I see…" Azula said, as she began reading the list. She frowned as she looked at the first name, surprised by how dumb it sounded "Combustion Man? Who the hell came up with such a ridiculous nickname…?"

Shoji cleared his throat and pointed at the name of the man's sponsor. Azula's eyebrow twitched as she read the name.

"Admiral Zhao did" said Shoji, smiling a little "I thought it was ridiculous too when I heard it, since I was only starting on this job when the Admiral signed him up, but I've been hearing so many stupid names lately that Combustion Man sounds really nice now"

Azula sighed as she glared at Admiral Zhao's name. She wasn't too surprised to discover the man sponsored the top gladiator of the ranking… well, maybe one day she would face him and teach him not to underestimate her ever again by having Sokka defeat and humiliate his dumb Combustion Man. She carried on reading the list, and she kept wincing at the names. Each one was worse than the one before.

"What's with this? The Twilight Drilled-Bamboo Bear?" she asked "What is that supposed to mean, if it means anything?"

"I have no idea, Princess" said Shoji, shrugging

"And this… this is weird" she said when the name of #146 caught her eye "Kyoshi's Heir? There are still people out there who worship Avatars?"

"I think so…" said Shoji, tapping on the table "That one is a pretty decent fighter, you know? She's managed to battle off against some really tough benders and come out triumphant…"

Azula was surprised to hear this. So Kyoshi's Heir was an Avatar believer, a woman and a non-bender, according to what she was reading… Well, if there was a non-bender within the top 150 fighters, Sokka had some hope after all. She continued reading over the list, focusing on sponsors rather than on the gladiators now until she found the name she had been looking for… and she restrained herself from letting out an exclamation of pride when she found it.

"So… what can you tell me about this guy, The Spawn of the Volcano?" she asked, the name coming off as one of the lamest so far.

"Oh, as you can see, he's a firebender" said Shoji, pointing at the list "He's a tough guy, most of the time. He's been falling down through the ranking as of late, though. His sponsor is Admiral Chan's son, as you can see…"

Yes, she could see. It was the only thing she had cared to see, to be honest.

"And… is he a talented firebender?"

"He's decent, not really outstanding. Else he would be higher in the ranking, I think" said Shoji, smiling.

"Very well, then. I will have my gladiator fight this one. Send Chan's son my challenge" said Azula, authoritarian. Shoji jumped, surprised.

"W-wait! But he's #234! That's really high! Wouldn't you rather fight someone in the range of 400?"

"I said I wanted my gladiator to fight this man" Azula grunted, her eyes ablaze "I have the confidence we'll achieve victory"

"W-well… if you're so certain of it, who am I to oppose you?" Shoji asked, gulping. He hoped the Princess knew what she was signing up for… he opened a folder and brought out the form to issue out a challenge "The Spawn of the Volcano fights in The Ember Crater, Ember Island's Arena. Do you wish to travel all the way there or would you rather ask him to come here?"

Azula frowned, thoughtful. It would be fine heading into Ember Island… it was likely Chan would accept blindly when he knew this was Sokka's first fight, and if they were willing to travel all the way to Ember Island surely he wouldn't refuse the challenge… she had good odds, or at least, she thought she did. The brat was still bound to refuse accepting the challenge…

"I'm fine with traveling to Ember Island" she declared, and Shoji smiled

"Very well…" said the boy, filling up the challenge carefully "How much will you bid?"

Azula had forgotten completely about bids. In the Superior Gladiator League the sponsors would bet against each other, and whoever claimed triumph would bring a lot of money home. The spectators would still place their bets against the house, but the sponsors had a direct spat against one another. Azula sighed, not really caring about the money. If she had to pay up to Chan, it would mean her entire plan had failed and she probably wouldn't even get involved in the Gladiator business anymore… but if she could take away his money as well as his pride and his arranged marriage, she would be tearing down the moron and leaving him at his lowest point… and she liked that idea.

"Write down fifty thousand yuans" she said, Shoji's mouth fell open comically

"F-f-fifty…? Oh, right… y-you're the Princess…" he said, smiling uncomfortably as he wrote in the bet "The fights normally take place a week after the challenge is issued. You will get an answer to the challenge about two days from now by the other sponsor. Are you okay with this?"

"I have no inconveniences with it. In fact, it's perfect" said Azula, nodding

"Very well then, everything is set. This will be sent out to Ember Island right away by Messenger Hawk" said Shoji, placing the paper in the stack of challenges he had to ship off today. Azula nodded in approval.

"Very well. I wish to know, will any messages or challenges with me as the receiver be shipped directly to my home?"

"Not really, they're sent to the Arena that's closest to your location… in your case, here" said Shoji "You can check in every two or three days if you have any correspondence; if anyone issues out an urgent challenge I'll make sure you get it right away"

"Good" said Azula "Well, I shall take my leave now, I believe. I thank you for being so helpful. I'll be seeing you around, I assume…"

"Yes, you will see me here all the time" said Shoji, smiling "Good luck against Chan's son!"

Azula smiled and nodded, grateful, and she turned around, ready to leave the lobby just as a very tall man with long, greasy black hair headed towards Shoji's desk with an odd girl with gray eyes, black hair and pale skin walking next to him. Azula only caught sight of them for a moment, since she was walking on the opposite direction, but she only had to see them from the corner of her eye to realize their clothing was customary for Earth Kingdom folk. So they were probably Honorary Fire Nation citizens… she wondered if people would head into the Arena with their gladiator in that manner, as if they were of equal standing… but she stopped in her thoughts when she began asking herself which of both would be the gladiator and which would be the sponsor…

"Uh… how may I help you?" she heard Shoji say.

"I've come to sign up my gladiator" said the man, making Azula frown. So he was the sponsor… and the girl the gladiator? No way. She was probably his daughter or niece; it made no sense otherwise…

"Right, um… here you have your form, fill it out…" said Shoji

"You can write it yourself, can't you?" the man insisted "Come on, we don't have all day"

Azula was still able to overhear the conversation despite she really didn't care much for it. She heard Shoji comply with the man's wishes, although she didn't understand what the young man said anymore. Still, the tall fellow's voice tone was so loud it was almost as if he wanted the world to hear he was enrolling his gladiator

"I'm Xin Fu, and my gladiator's called The Blind Bandit!"

Azula had been wondering to what extents people would go with all those random nicknames for their gladiators, and now she discovered there were no limits at all. The Blind Bandit? Was the gladiator really blind, or was he only using the name for show? It sounded plain stupid to her…

The matter vanished from her head as she walked outside, headed towards the palanquin that awaited her. As she took another step, reality struck her… she was getting closer and closer to her goal. She was about to destroy that stupid arranged marriage and ruin Chan's life by doing so… but she could only make it if Sokka was strong enough to beat The Spawn of the Volcano. Would he be ready to fight a firebender? Just how advanced would his training be by the time she went to get him?

She couldn't help but worry about it, but she had already done everything in her power to turn the odds to her favor. Right now, the only thing she could do was believe in Sokka as she waited for the day they would meet again...


	9. Chapter 9

They took their stances, their unblinking eyes fixated on the other's figure, waiting… waiting for the first strike. One of them would have to jump forward eventually, but for now, they were doing their best to thread out a plan to overcome their opponent. The silver sword shifted, the black sword did not take the ruse. And since the gladiator did not move, Piandao jumped forward and attempted to strike Sokka.

Sokka parried the attack perfectly, twirling to do so. He ducked and tried to strike his master on the legs, but Piandao jumped and avoided the blow. The sword master swung his blade diagonally downwards, aiming at Sokka's head. The Water Tribe man realized he was at a disadvantage too late, although he still managed to block the attack. He attempted to stab his master on the chest before Piandao could perform another move; he was forced to fall back to avoid getting hit by Sokka, who managed to stand up and attack again.

Fat was witnessing the combat, amazed over the incredible development of the pupil's skills. He had been working for Piandao for several years and it was the first time he had seen a man grow so strong after only three weeks of training. He would have enjoyed the fight for a little longer if he hadn't heard somebody knocking on the door. He didn't bother excusing himself, knowing he would be ignored. Both Sokka and Piandao were completely focused on their fight.

Fat was taken by surprise when he discovered who the visitor that had been knocking on the doors was. Looking as deadly and arrogant as ever, the Fire Nation Princess stood alone in front of the gates, and she eyed him without interest when he swung the door inwards.

"Princess" said Fat, bowing down slowly "It's an honor to see you again"

"Indeed, it should be…" Azula said, carelessly "Where is my gladiator?"

"I will take you to him" said Fat, prompting her to enter the castle "Have you come to check on his progress or are you here because you need him for a fight?"

"Both" replied Azula "How is he faring? Has he been any good?"

"He can be very obnoxious at times" said Fat "But he is a very good student. Master Piandao holds him in high regards. They're sparring right now; you can see his current prowess yourself"

"Good" said the Princess, pleased. She had wished to assess Sokka's growth personally.

And she was most amazed to see it when they arrived to the mansion's backyard, where the combat was taking place. She still recalled the pathetic way he had fought against her in the South Pole; she had been impressed to see how he had changed when she witnessed him in Hui Yi's Arena. But the way he was fighting right now went beyond anything she had seen him perform so far.

Piandao was attempting to overwhelm Sokka with several quick moves to surprise him, but Sokka stood his ground and blocked Piandao, breaking through his flurry of attacks. He pushed his master away with his black sword, turning around quickly to gain momentum and deliver a powerful blow against Piandao, who had to brace himself to avoid tripping and falling. Sokka continued trying to stab Piandao, forcing him to fall back, knowing that if he managed to put him against the wall, he would win…

Piandao surprised him by turning the tables and attacking him while performing a defensive move with his weapon. Sokka parried it, realizing his plan wouldn't work, but the current circumstances allowed him to twirl Piandao's sword, hoping to twist his wrist into letting go of the sword… but before he knew it, Piandao changed the twirl's direction and got out of the predicament with ease. Sokka ducked again and moved his sword almost vertically towards Piandao, nearly stabbing him in the chin. The sword master was forced to lean backwards, but he was unable to keep his balance this time. Sokka moved his sword horizontally, forcing Piandao to contort his body to avoid the blade, and thus he lost his footing. Sokka smirked

"Ha! And so I…!" he said, proudly, believing he had earned victory…

But as he swung his sword down, Piandao used his own to strike Sokka's blade powerfully, making the weapon shake in his hands and forcing Sokka to let go of it. Piandao stood up and aimed the tip of his weapon at Sokka's forehead. Sokka sighed and finished his sentence

"… lose…" he muttered, disappointed

"You shouldn't believe yourself to be victorious until the fight is over, Sokka. I was certain you knew that" said Piandao, smiling "Regardless, well done. You have grown to become a fine swordsman"

"Why, thanks, sir!" said Sokka, grinning as he picked up his sword and sheathed it

"Is he up to your expectations?" asked Piandao, turning towards the house. Sokka frowned. What expectations did Fat have about him? He turned as well and his eyes opened wide when he saw who was standing next to the old man.

"I'm impressed you have made a true warrior out of him after only three weeks" Azula said, walking down from the terrace to where they stood. Sokka could do nothing but stare at her in surprise, feeling slightly dismayed. She hadn't come just to drink tea, that was for sure… and he was also disappointed with himself. Piandao had been focused on their fight yet he had noticed the Princess's presence, whereas he hadn't…

"He is remarkable" said Piandao, bowing down to Azula, taking her by surprise. She never would have thought this man would perform any sort of reverence towards her "One of the finest men I have ever taught. His mind thirsts for knowledge in ways I hadn't been a witness to in all my years of experience. His progress goes beyond anything I have ever seen"

"I'm glad. I guess I chose the right man after all" said Azula, looking at Sokka. She was surprised to see his blue eyes seemed serene now after a period of living a good life at Piandao's home. He probably had needed to get away from misery to regain his former self, or so she guessed. Sokka looked back down at her, unable to take his eyes off the Princess, terrified for two reasons. The first was that she had probably come to take him away from his sword training and take him into the battlefield again… the second made him wish to rip out his own innards with his blade. It seemed each time he saw her anew he would be taken aback by how beautiful she was… it was too reckless for him to admire her looks. She was a demon, and he knew it firsthand… but somehow, he couldn't really help himself…

Azula turned back to Piandao when she realized she had been staring into Sokka's dreamy eyes for too long without saying anything useful, something that had made Piandao uncomfortable. A bag had been hanging on her belt and she loosened it, handing it over to the sword master. Piandao was surprised.

"What…? I don't believe this to be necessary, Princess" said Piandao, looking at the golden coins gleaming inside the bag. The gold caught Sokka's eye and he stared at it in awe, amazed to see so much money in one place.

"I doubt you truly think so" said Azula, her hands on her hips "Putting up with this snow savage for three weeks might have been fun at times, but I doubt it was enjoyable enough that you deem it unnecessary for me to give you the payment you deserve for making a true fighter out of him"

Piandao seemed to think about her words for a moment before closing the money bag and nodding positively

"You are right. It was enjoyable, but he did eat up all my food. I could use the money"

"I thought so" Azula said, smiling

Sokka rolled his eyes but shrugged. At least Piandao seemed to have enjoyed teaching him…

"So… what're you here for?" he asked Azula, looking at her hesitantly

"As if you couldn't figure it out for yourself" said Azula, narrowing her eyes in a cruel glare "Your first fight will take place in a few days. I've come to get you"

Sokka's heart sank at the thought. He would have to leave a place that had become his haven, he would have to return to the world he hated so much… by the hand of the person he hated the most, of course. His life had been perfect for far too long, the universe wouldn't let him get away with it so easily.

"Well, it can't be helped if you need him now" said Piandao, smiling at Sokka "You have progressed smoothly, Sokka. I'm looking forward to having you here again soon"

"Uh, b-but…" said Sokka, gulping "C-can I at least stay for lunch?"

Piandao saw the look on Azula's face. She clearly wanted to get to traveling as quickly as possible and she wouldn't take kindly to any delays.

"I don't advise you to do so" said Piandao, patting him in the shoulder "I don't know if Fat's cooking would be to the Princess's liking"

"She doesn't have to eat if she doesn't want to…" said Sokka, crossing his arms in a very childish manner. Azula huffed in indignation

"Come on, savage. We don't have all day" she growled, turning around to leave, but she stopped on her tracks and looked at Piandao again "I am very grateful for your services. If everything goes well, I will bring him back in about a week or so, and you can continue his training then"

"Fare well, Princess" said Piandao, bowing curtly again "Good luck on your fight, Sokka"

Sokka looked at him, begging his master with puppy eyes not to let the bad girl take him… but he resigned himself afterwards. He really didn't have a choice upon the matter… He followed Azula and Fat all the way to the gates, missing Piandao's mansion even though he hadn't even left it yet.

"Have a good day" said Fat, before closing the doors behind the Princess and her gladiator.

Sokka sighed as he took one last look at the place and turned towards the road… and he was surprised to see there were no guards around

"How come didn't you bring a Royal Procession and all that nonsense this time?" he asked, walking behind Azula.

"I told them I wouldn't need any of it, and they didn't protest" was her reply

"I'm not really buying that… did you kill someone to prove your point or something?"

Azula smirked, terrifying Sokka

"You did?!"

"Of course not" she muttered, still smiling "They insisted for a while, but they know they cannot reason with me once I have made up my mind. They're all waiting at the Barge"

"Will we have to take a detour around town again?" asked Sokka, sighing

"Oh, is the powerful swordsman unable to walk a few extra miles? I thought you were far more resistant than this" she said, teasingly. Sokka frowned

"I was just asking! Don't jump to conclusions, woman!" he said, his arms behind his head as he scowled at her… although he interrupted the scowl when he registered her words in his head "Did you just call me 'powerful swordsman'?"

"I was merely boosting your ego, but yes, I did" said Azula "From what I saw, you are better skilled with the blade than I thought you could ever be"

"So I've impressed you, huh?" he said, proudly

"Even though I'd rather deny it, seeing how you'll let it get to your head, I'll confess the truth and say you have" said Azula, shrugging "Did all your training proceed smoothly?"

"Yeah, Piandao taught me many important things…" he said, smiling "He's amazing. You really found the best master. I can't imagine anyone greater than him"

"I'm glad you seem so pleased" said Azula "What is the story behind that sword of yours? I hadn't seen such an odd blade in my life…"

"Ah, you remember the black stone we saw when we got here?" Sokka asked, smiling

"I do, and I didn't see it this time. Did you turn it into that sword, by any chance?"

"Hey, you shouldn't anticipate the story's great outcome!" he protested, annoyed. Azula chuckled

"Can you show it to me?"

Sokka was wary to see the Princess was so intent to see his sword, but he complied anyway. He withdrew it from its scabbard, which hung on his back, and he showed her the weapon

"The stone it was carved from was a meteorite" he said, smiling "So I called it Space Sword!"

Azula had been impressed at the magnificent sword, but the name made her wince. She glared at Sokka, who blinked, taken aback.

"W-what…?"

"That's a ridiculous name. You're as pathetic as most gladiator sponsors out there…"

"Huh?! What's that supposed to mean?!" Sokka asked, indignant, and he put his sword back in its place.

"Dumb names, that's what I'm talking about" said Azula, shaking her head "Most gladiators have the lamest names you could imagine. One was called The Twilight Drilled-Bamboo Bear"

"What's that?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "Twilight… what?"

"I have no idea" said Azula, shaking her head "I simply thought it to be ridiculous"

"So… you saw the names of other gladiators?" asked Sokka "Does that mean I'm all signed up already?"

"Yes, or else I wouldn't have come here to find you again" Azula said "I've sent a challenge to your first rival and you will be facing him in a about two days, in Ember Island's Arena"

"Ember Island?" asked Sokka "Where's that?"

"Near the Capital Island" replied Azula "It will take us about a day to get there, on the next you'll have to be ready to face your opponent"

"Um… how come are we headed to another Arena rather than the one at the Capital…?" asked Sokka with mistrust. The creepy Princess clearly was plotting something…

"I was doing everything in my power so that our opponent would feel like he has the upper hand" said Azula "I wished for him to accept the conditions of the battle no matter what, and I succeeded. As soon as I got a confirmation from him, I headed to find you and now we'll go straight to Ember Island"

"I see…" said Sokka, as they walked past the town quickly. He had many questions to ask, so many that for some reason none came to mind right now except for one "And who am I fighting, exactly?"

"The Spawn of the Volcano" replied Azula

"Huh, nice name…" he said, and she looked at him in disbelief

"Men have the most ridiculous taste on names…" she said, shaking her head

"Hey, it's a cool name!" Sokka stated, but Azula sped up and ignored him.

They arrived to the vessel after a few minutes of exchanging more jabs, all of them referred to men's lack of common sense to give out nicknames, and the Royal Guards seemed incredibly relieved to see their Princess arriving safely. They had insisted on accompanying her but she claimed they would delay her. Seeing how quick she had been to return, they realized she had been right. Azula walked up the ramp and got on board: all her Guards bowed down to her. Sokka didn't feel too comfortable returning to high society; it seemed his rightful place was at Piandao's house since it wasn't too classy or too shabby.

"Welcome back, Princess" said a Royal Guard, bowing down to Azula. She didn't return the greeting.

"Quit wasting time with pleasantries nobody cares for; get this ship going" she grunted "Set the course for Ember Island, just as we already established"

"Yes, Your Highness" said the guard, bowing down and relying the orders upon the rest of the crew. The ramp was lifted shortly and before Sokka could process it, they were on their way. He stared at the shrinking island, sighing as he hoped he would return soon… nothing guaranteed he would, all he could do was hope he would triumph against his opponent.

His stomach grumbled randomly, prompting Azula to glare at him in annoyance. Sokka pouted

"What? You didn't let me eat… it's only natural for me to be hungry"

She rolled her eyes and walked to the nearest guard, who turned to her immediately.

"Get the slave something to eat, anything will suffice"

"Hey! Not anything!" he protested, but she ignored him and walked away, heading, probably, towards her cabin. The guard prompted him to follow him towards the kitchens, and Sokka trailed behind him unwillingly.

To his relief, he was given a far more decent meal than he had been expecting. He had grown so accustomed to the revolting food he had been eating for two years in the Amateur Arena that he would welcome with open arms anything of good quality. He had finally regained some weight and he no longer seemed underfed thanks to the meals he had enjoyed at Piandao's home.

When he was done with lunch he headed to his particular cabin, pleased to find it was still his. The special treatment came off a little scary for him: he kept expecting the Princess to strike him down when he wouldn't see it coming; she was ruthless to all her other servants and he saw no reason why she would act differently towards him. Still, she did… therefore he expected to face retribution for it at some point.

He was thinking about taking a short nap, but as he spread across the mattress he realized he wasn't sleepy at all. He had grown used to the routine of exercising for most the day and only resting at night, so having so much spare time seemed like quite a waste. He got off the bed, took his weapons and headed up to the main deck, hoping he could at least practice some of his moves… but when he arrived he saw that someone had beaten him to his destination.

Twirling in a vortex of blue fire, the Princess seemed to have come up with the same idea as he had when faced with utter boredom. Her moves, powerful and steady, had him gaze at her in amazement. As he saw her prowess now he realized she truly had been weakened by the dark period when they had first met: had he been facing Azula at her finest he wouldn't have survived two seconds into a fight. Even now, two years later, after all the training he had undergone, he could see she was still superior, she could kill him with so much ease it was embarrassing to acknowledge it.

It shocked him to see she seemed to be as much of a master with her fire as Piandao was with his swords. But watching Piandao train with blades was very different from this: Sokka would simply admire his moves and attempt to emulate them, hoping to become as skilled as his master one day. As he watched Azula, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of amazement. Her fire fluttered around her, corresponding with her every move, the blue balanced with the red of her outfit, with the glow of her golden eyes... He confirmed it yet again: each time he saw her she became more beautiful to him.

But oh, how he hated admiring her beauty, how he hated to realize her fire was as perfect as she was. Her prowess forced him to accept she wasn't simply a Princess living off her father's fame and fortune: she had earned her own reputation and it was perfectly deserved.

He was left there to gaze at her, disgusted at himself but amazed by Azula. She kept performing her firebending moves, the fire she brought forth was dangerous and magnificent, just as she was. Nobody else was on the deck, it was likely Azula had sent them away for their own safety; she had perfect control upon her fire, but her training methods were ruthless, she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't injure them when she was performing the most powerful movements in her arsenal of firebending skills. Sokka was the sole witness of the spectacle, and he was most impressed by it, his eyes never leaving her figure.

All of sudden, her fire began sparkling. Sokka frowned, not understanding what she was about to do. Unlike before, Azula's moves were a little stiffer now, her feet firm on the ground beneath her. The blue fire slowly morphed into electricity as she moved her arms slowly, her limbs charged with power.

Finally she stretched her left hand forward, her index and middle fingers spread out as she used them to direct the lightning she had produced. The bolt spread out to the horizon, getting lost as soon as Azula had unleashed it. Sokka was left staring at her, open-mouthed. So the blue fire wasn't deadly enough, the Princess could bend lightning as well. How on earth had he survived her all those years before? What business could such a powerful woman have with the likes of him? Why did she need him to beat down a gladiator if she could easily do so herself? No… that was wrong. She had mentioned she wanted him to beat someone's gladiator. Her true objective wasn't the gladiator… it was the sponsor.

"Not one hair out of place" said Azula, smirking as she regained her stance and bodily balance. It was now that she sensed someone was watching her. She looked from the corner of her eye and was surprised to see Sokka paralyzed after climbing all the way to the main deck "Did you come to enjoy the show?"

"N-not really…" he said, gulping "I had nothing to do so I thought I'd come train up here, since it's the only place with enough room…"

"It would seem we have similar thought patterns" said Azula, smiling. Sokka winced.

"I don't think so…" he grunted

"Oh, I know. You want nothing to do with the Fire Nation, especially with me" Azula said, rolling her eyes and shrugged "The mere notion of having similar thoughts to mine makes you feel like you're betraying the very core of your existence…"

"Quit patronizing me" he grunted, and she smirked

"Ah, but I'm right, am I not?" she asked

Sokka understood now why she would always come off as a striking beauty when he saw her anew, but he'd forget it afterwards: it was that devilish wit of hers, all the cruel remarks she uttered with that mouth that made him wish he could rip her to shreds. She was plain evil, he was completely convinced of it.

"Meh..." grunted Sokka, shrugging "How come can you produce lightning? Is that some sort of firebending secret trick?"

"Bending lightning is a sub-form of firebending" explained Azula "Only the most skilled firebenders can develop proper lightning and direct it without killing themselves in the process. Thus, not many benders use lightning, seeing as it's very deadly and it might backfire if you can't control it properly"

"Wow, how impressive" said Sokka, rolling his eyes "And I bet your creepy blue fire is some sort of superior ability too, right?"

"My creepy blue fire, as you call it, is a form of bending I developed myself. Never before has it been registered that a firebender had the prowess to perform bending in this manner"

"Huh… well, kudos for you" said Sokka, shrugging "Maybe you should be the gladiator while I'm the sponsor, since you're so good at what you do…"

"You're a slave, I'm a Princess. You might want to keep deluding yourself with such absurd ideas, they won't ever come true" said Azula "And since we were on that topic… You think my blue fire is creepy now? Apparently you thought differently when we first met…"

Sokka's cheeks gained a red quality slowly as he remembered what Azula had referred to. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow towards him

"I still would like to know what exactly had you been talking about back then…"

"Yeah, w-well… I'd like to live a happy life down with my Tribe, but we can't get everything we want in life, can we?" he said, eluding the subject as he withdrew Space Sword from his back "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have training to do if I want to beat up that gladiator"

"True, you probably need more practice" said Azula, nodding "He's not supposed to be so good, yet it's likely he'll beat you down if you're not cautious"

"I'll take my chances" said Sokka, swinging his sword "So… what can you tell me about that guy? Normally I have some information about my opponent so I can make up a scheme as to how to beat him…"

"I figured as much" said Azula "I approve of that way of fighting, you seem to be a good strategist… not the best, though. You should work more on your tactics"

Sokka's eyebrow twitched and he glared at Azula

"How about you quit trashing me and get on with telling me about that Spawn of the Volcano guy?"

"Fine" said Azula "I don't know much of him, but apparently he's not in his best shape lately, seeing as his current position in the ranking is 234. He's a firebender, clear by that name, and…"

"W-wait… WHAT?!" squealed Sokka, shocked "Y-y-you're putting me against a firebender?!"

"Oh, I didn't mention that, did I?" said Azula, in deep thought

"You conveniently forgot, yeah!" yelled Sokka, staring at her in absolute irritation "How the hell am I going to beat a firebender?! The only firebender I ever fought was you and I'm still facing the consequences of that battle!"

"True" said Azula, nodding "But you don't need to be so alarmed, it's unlikely that gladiator is anywhere near my skill…"

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" yelled Sokka, swinging his sword around "Y-you… y-you… You want me killed, don't you?! I mean, why the hell do you have me face a firebender?! For all I know, even the non-benders in the Superior League will beat the crap out of me! A firebender will make me toast!"

"He literally could make you toast" said Azula, nodding

"I am not joking here!" Sokka yelled, storming towards her "You have no right to make me fight someone who'll probably kill me without even trying! We're both doomed because you're crazy enough to make me fight that guy!"

"Oh, relax, will you?" said Azula, rolling her eyes "It's unlikely he's half as good as you think he is, and you've been taught by Piandao, the best sword master in the world. He's the one who should cower in fear, not you"

"That's what you're saying, but for some reason, I can't bring myself to believe you" grunted Sokka, glowering "So he's 234, you said? 234 out of how many gladiators?"

"Five hundred" replied Azula curtly, making Sokka stand in shock, blinking blankly

"F-f… f-f-five hundred…?" he said "N-no doubt about it, you're trying to get me killed here…"

"Oh, quit being so dramatic…"

"No, I won't!" he yelled, glaring at her "You're insane!"

"Like I've never heard that before…" said Azula, rolling her eyes

"How do you expect me to beat a guy who's in the upper half of the ranking?! And he's a firebender, on top of it all! This is plain absurd! You know, you'd better give me a good explanation for this and you'd better do it now! I'd rather you kill me right here than go out there and make a fool of myself in an Arena fighting a guy who has all it takes to beat me!"

"I'm not having that happen, how many times must I say it?" she said, clearly annoyed

"Give me a good explanation, then, or else I'll never believe you!" he yelled "I'll just jump off this damn ship and swim away if you don't talk now!"

"I'll electrocute you the minute you turn to jump" said Azula, and Sokka twitched

"I'm serious here! Spit it out already. Why do you want me to take out that gladiator…? No, not the gladiator. What's your problem with that gladiator's sponsor? Why do you need to defeat him by using me?"

Azula smiled at his wit. She had never mentioned the true nature of her endeavor, but he had managed to see right through her. This convinced her yet again that she had picked the ideal gladiator for her; he wasn't any simple-minded fighting machine she could have found in any Arena. Perhaps he wasn't the toughest fighter… but he was, most definitely, up to her expectations. She stared at him, eyeing him with intelligent eyes, and Sokka couldn't help but feel utterly uncomfortable. Azula's gaze went to his sword and she suddenly muttered

"May I?"

Her hand was extended towards the weapon. Sokka felt completely unwilling to give it to her, knowing he would be completely defenseless without it… but he complied, hoping she would either tell him what he needed to know or cut his throat already and spare him the useless fight at the Arena. Their fingers brushed slightly when he put the handle of the sword on her hand.

Azula took Space Sword, staring at it carefully. It wasn't too heavy, to her surprise and approval. She swung the sword around, apparently carelessly, but Sokka could tell her moves had a meaning, despite how ineffective they seemed to be. She performed a twirl, similar to the ones she did while firebending, moving the sword in such a way that Sokka immediately thought of what Piandao had said about having your weapon become an extension of yourself. The sword didn't belong to her, yet she was able to blend with it in such a way that she was, once again, that beautiful and deadly Princess he would be far safer running away from.

Azula performed a few more swings before delivering a final blow at her imaginary enemy, holding Space Sword steadily in her hand. She lowered the weapon, still gripping it tightly, and she began talking.

"About a month ago, my father settled an arranged marriage for me" she muttered, Sokka's eyes grew wide in surprise "I didn't approve of it, since the man in question and I… we don't get along, you might say. I met him a long time ago and things didn't end well. His father, an imbecile, believed he could get the better of me by forcing me to marry his useless son. I already had let one of his insolences pass me by, but this one I refused to tolerate"

"What, exactly…?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"He stole my credit for vanquishing the Water Tribe raid to the settlement" said Azula "As if he'd been the one to thwart you and your friends… I let him get away with it because I thought he would thank me for it; you see, he was meant to be the governor of the colony your Tribe was supposed to become. His incompetence would have been clear if I had spoken out, and I should have, but there was nobody else willing to head down to the South Pole. I figured I'd let him keep his rank and position; I didn't appreciate being cheated off like that, but it wasn't really that significant anyway. My father had told this man, Admiral Chan, that for saving me from the savages he would reward him; the Admiral claimed to have had nothing in mind at the moment, but recently he decided this would be his grand prize for lying about saving me when I was the one to take care of you and your allies"

"It's odd you'd let him get away with it… and I still don't get where am I supposed to play a part in this" said Sokka, frowning

"My father has allowed me to prove Admiral Chan's son is unworthy of me, and the way to do this is showing I'm above him even in what he'd consider his 'area of expertise', if you understand what I mean"

"You're… planning on humiliating him" said Sokka, crossing his arms

"Exactly. If I'm able to humiliate him, prove my superiority, my father will call off the engagement. I had to give a lot of thought to this, seeing how Chan is such a useless brat that he's not a bender, a warrior or a strategist; he has no special skills, no abilities to brag about other than having a well-known father. The sole thing he does is sponsor his gladiator, The Spawn of the Volcano. I really wasn't left much of a choice other than to beat him in that area"

"And so you came… to find me?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"Don't flatter yourself" she said, tossing Space Sword back at him suddenly. Sokka caught it in midair "I went to Hui Yi because it was the nearest town with an Amateur Gladiator Arena. I had almost forgotten that was where I'd left you"

"Yeah, right" said Sokka, smirking "I bet you went there just to get me…"

"If you wish to give yourself so much importance, go ahead" said Azula, waving her hand as if the matter was completely irrelevant "But now you understand why I need you, why I'm betting on your triumph. It's essential for me that you beat Chan's gladiator… if you don't, everything will have been in vain. There would be no point in continuing as your sponsor, so I wouldn't know what would happen to you… you'd probably return to the Amateur League, I assume"

Sokka winced and clenched his fists. It was the last thing he wanted to do, go back to Hui Yi… despite it all, he liked his current position. Working for Azula had allowed him to train under Piandao, to believe he might go home someday… He couldn't let those hopes slip away. He hated to realize she had truly trapped him, ensuring he would work for her and try his best to become the greatest gladiator just to claw at his dreams of seeing his Tribe once again; but it was too late for regrets. At least this life was better than being an amateur gladiator…

"I won't return there" he said, his eyes gleaming with determination "I will beat that guy"

Azula felt relief washing over her as she locked gazes with him. She didn't care for his reasons, she didn't care if he planned to stab her in the back when all matters were said and done… he wanted to beat Chan's gladiator and that was enough for her.

"But I can't defeat him so easily" said Sokka, lifting Space Sword and aiming it towards Azula "I need more practice if he's a firebender on the top half of the ranking… and I could use fighting a firebender to practice"

Azula huffed and stared at him with derision

"You don't want to practice with me, believe me on this"

"I don't really have a choice, seeing as your Royal Guards are bound to refuse to fight me" said Sokka "If you really want me to beat that guy, you'll do this"

Azula sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You'll regret it"

"I highly doubt it" grunted Sokka, a smirk playing with his features. Finally, the rematch he had been waiting for…

They sparred for a few hours, trying to keep the situation as safe as possible. Sokka was completely focused in avoiding Azula's blows, her scorching hot flames threatening him and ensuring he would make use of all his agility to avoid her. To his surprise, whenever she unleashed small fireballs at him, he could swing Space Sword and force the fire to dissipate; he would certainly use this technique when facing his future foe.

Sokka was panting and resting on his knees once they were done, and Azula nodded in agreement when he asked her to stop. He headed to the rim of the ship, sitting down with his back against the enclosure as the sweat ran down his brow. Azula was in better shape, seeing as she had been the one sending the flames Sokka had been forced to dodge, the ones that had made his body temperature rise to sweating point. Azula stared at him as he huffed before she sat by his side.

"I believe that was enough for one day" she said, as he nodded

"It's… more than enough… thanks…" he muttered, surprising her. Why was he grateful? Nobody was grateful towards her, especially bitter slaves… she didn't know how to respond to this sort of statement.

"Your skills have most definitely improved" Azula said, crossing her legs before her as she changed the subject "Piandao made wonders with you. You're not even similar to the weak brat you used to be"

"Yeah… it's all because of him…" said Sokka, resting his head against the wall behind him "He's the greatest man I've ever met…"

Azula raised an eyebrow, and Sokka didn't miss the gesture

"What?" he grunted

"I simply don't think the same way" said Azula, shrugging

"Of course you don't" said Sokka "And I bet… it's because he found you unworthy"

"There we go again…" said Azula, rolling her eyes "He didn't find me unworthy, understand that for once and for all"

"Well, he clearly didn't teach you anything or else your moves with Space Sword earlier would have made more sense" said Sokka, shrugging "And you seem awfully bitter towards him, so I don't find any other explanation…"

"Oh, you just don't get it, do you?" asked Azula, shaking her head "It's not as simple as you might think it is. You and I… we're not equals. Thus he can accept you, but not me. My circumstances… they wouldn't allow me to train under Piandao even when I wanted to"

Sokka raised an eyebrow, surprised

"What circumstances are we talking about?"

Azula sighed, crossing her arms now as well. She didn't look at Sokka in the eye as she spoke.

"I told you my brother was trained by him, didn't I? He was about five years old when he began his instruction. I watched the way he swung around swords, the way… t-the way my mother would praise and dote on his clumsy and dumb ways. I went to my father a couple of years later, since I wanted to learn how to fight with swords as well. He agreed with me instantly, and we all headed to Piandao's mansion one day. My mother was under the impression we were going to watch Zuko's training; she didn't know what my father had in mind. Zuko went around swinging and twirling his dual blades, showing off to mother, when father decided to bring the matter to Piandao. I will admit we didn't get along at all, the way he looked at me made me guess he thought me to be inferior to him in some way and I hated it. Yet he handed me a blade and asked me to do what I could with it. I don't know how good or bad I truly was, of course… all I know is that Zuko and mother saw me then, and Zuko lost his mind, claiming I couldn't be taught how to use a sword. I just laughed at him, knowing he was simply jealous since, without any lessons, I was proving my aptitude was superior to his. Piandao seemed to approve of me, actually, but… but that was when my mother interrupted"

"Your mother?" asked Sokka, surprised

"She asked to have a word with Piandao and my father alone. Zuko and I were left in the garden, and he kept claiming I wasn't supposed to learn to fight like this. You see, he was given the opportunity to become a swordsman because I was a superior firebender and he couldn't deal with that, seeing as he was the Royal Heir. Mother, of course, agreed to do anything that Zuko asked for, so she enrolled him with Piandao right away so that Zuko could bask in the chance to surpass me in something. I wanted to use swords too, though… and I was finally going to get my chance to do so. But when the meeting ended, Piandao said he wouldn't teach me. I was devastated and Zuko was pleased. I didn't know for certain why I was refused… but it didn't take me long to find out. When we were heading back to the mainland, my mother explained to me that ladies were not supposed to get involved in the arts of war. I protested, of course, but she wouldn't budge. She was annoyed by my opposition to her decision, she didn't understand that I wanted to become a powerful fighter and turned matters around by claiming I was being whimsical because I wanted to receive lessons from someone, because I wanted to be taught things just as Zuko was being taught how to fight. This was what prompted her to send me off to the Fire Nation Academy for Girls… where I only learned useless things that I hardly even remember nowadays. I hated it, hated every second of it, because I could have been becoming a sword master if my mother hadn't gotten in the way... but I should have expected her to do this. Women aren't supposed to learn to fight, their purpose is to stay home and waste away as men take care of everything... this is the way she thought, or at least, the way she wanted me to think since I wasn't the heir to the throne; she believed Zuko to be the perfect successor to my father. I have gone against her ideals for my entire life, but my determination doesn't make much of a difference most the time..."

"That's rough" said Sokka, gulping "So… it's your mother's fault that you don't know how to use a blade. Somehow I think I should thank her… you're deadly enough as you are"

"True" said Azula, sighing "I still think I had potential with swords…"

"You're bad enough with the fire; believe me" said Sokka, chuckling "But how come your mother didn't protest against you being taught how to firebend if she didn't believe you should be fighting altogether?"

"I was taught most of the firebending I know by my father and two old ladies who were my caretakers, Lo and Li" said Azula "Lo and Li were my official teachers; they kept everything at a very basic level so that my mother wouldn't worry. My father, though, he taught me many things, many forms of firebending that only a handful of people knew; he was smart enough to do this when my mother wasn't looking. He helped me develop the skill of blue fire and it was him who taught me how to use lightning, although those two things he only managed to teach me when my mother was gone. If she had seen me bending lightning she probably would have lost her mind and demanded I should be sent to learn acting or something instead of fighting..."

"Seems like you two had a difficult relationship…" said Sokka, thoughtful "What happened to her?"

"I don't know" said Azula, truthfully "One day she was… gone. I was glad she was. Most of the oppression I felt came from her. Without her in the way I could reach my full potential both as a fighter and a leader, and my father knew it. He helped me become who I am now"

Sokka was surprised by her statements. He stared at her, not having expected to share any traits with her…

"My mother died when I was very young" he said, taking Azula aback "I always relied on my father too, though I didn't have a bad relationship with my mother. I guess I can understand somehow the way you feel towards your dad even if he's the most evil man in the world"

Azula snorted and rolled her eyes, but she was slightly relieved, and also surprised. He understood her. Nobody ever understood her. It was an unusual feeling indeed…

"I guess it all depends on your perspective on good and evil" she muttered

"Oh, so now you're going to tell me you think you people of the Fire Nation are 'the good guys'... don't make me laugh"

"I didn't say that" stated Azula "I simply believe we have different takes on what's right and what's wrong. I believe most people in the Fire Nation are imbeciles; I also dislike most people from other nations. Simply put, I really don't take into account where a person came from or what his ideals might be..."

"As long as he's willing to work for you, you'll accept him" Sokka completed, shrugging "I guess you simply don't care for what's good and what isn't"

"Bothering yourself with such thoughts will only lead you to confusion and self-loathing" said Azula, making him frown "Somebody established what was right and what was wrong a long time ago, and everyone strives to follow such teachings. I believe one of the first Avatars was the one to cause this... our society is based on those teachings, and if we stray from them it means we're cruel, evil, heartless. But what entitled that Avatar to determine what was wrong and what was right? Everything is changing in the world we live in, the ancient ways are becoming more and more blurry... and following fit through them is no longer an option, not even for a man like you. Surely you wish to do the right thing, to be a good man, but you're working for me, the one you consider evil above all things. Doesn't that turn you evil also?"

Sokka frowned and flexed his legs upwards, letting his arms rest on his knees as he tried to digest her words

"I don't believe in the notions of good and evil" continued Azula "The way I see it, they're simply obstacles to stop you from reaching your full potential, to prevent you from enjoying your life as you want to... you only get one opportunity to live, after all. You might as well forget all about those dumb guidelines, about karma, because when your time is up, you'll be full of regrets for not living your life as you wanted to, for living it in the way others have forced upon you"

"Is that why you're so cruel, then? Because you don't care for karma?" asked Sokka

"There are other reasons that explain why I am the way I am; simply put, karma doesn't stop me and it doesn't scare me" she declared

"I don't think anything does" said Sokka, smiling slightly "You just do everything as you please. It's somewhat admirable, but I can't live my life in the same way"

"I wasn't asking you to do so" she replied, looking at him.

Their eyes met once again, eyes that showed their opposing and conflicting natures. They were nothing alike, yet somehow they'd found a way to respect one another. It didn't mean they were anything near becoming friends, but they were allies now, and they knew it. They had to rely on each other to survive, to achieve their goals… Without knowing it, they had become a team, even when they hardly trusted each other…

They were brought back to reality when a Royal Guard approached them and cleared his throat, making them both snap and realize they had been staring at the other for no clear reason.

"Princess, dinner awaits you in your cabin" he said, bowing "Your meal is in your room as well, Gladiator"

"Great!" said Sokka, jumping up "I was already hungry…"

"You ate only a few hours ago…" said Azula, staring at him in disbelief

"I've been starving for two years, it's not my fault I'm always hungry!" claimed Sokka, making her roll her eyes as she got back on her feet as well

"No wonder Piandao said you had eaten all his food, your appetite is unappeasable" she grunted, shaking her head.

The three of them walked inside the ship, heading down the stairs that led to the hallway where Azula's cabin was. Sokka turned to the opposite direction, and Azula looked at him, staring at his shrinking figure. It was unlikely they saw each other again in the rest of the day…

"Sokka" she called out to him, and he stopped on his tracks, surprised. He turned around and looked at her from over his shoulder "Get as much rest as you can. We will be arriving to Ember Island early tomorrow, if the sailing continues as intended"

"Got it" said Sokka, nodding "And the fight is tomorrow too, isn't it?"

"Yes, three hours after noon"

"Huh…" said Sokka, surprised. He had always fought under the midday sun… he wondered if this would change his odds somehow "Well, I'm fine with that. I'll see you around, then, Azula…"

The name felt strange in his mouth, he wasn't used to uttering it. Often he had talked to her using her title rather than her name, it seemed far more natural… he didn't even know where the whim of calling her by her name had come from. He turned around and continued walking, expecting some sort of reprimand for not showing her the proper respect, but it never arrived. The Royal Guard next to Azula seemed surprised and offended to see Sokka talking to her as if they were equals, but she wasn't bothered by it at all. In fact, she looked the total opposite of bothered.

To hear him utter her name made her soul stir. She didn't know for certain what this development meant, but her mind induced her to imagine he had appreciated that moment they had shared on the upper deck, the first time she had opened up to someone in many years… and she had been calling him by his name for a while now, it was only logical he would do the same eventually, if he began seeing her for who she truly was…

The notion of Sokka thinking about her not just as his worst enemy anymore made her feel somewhat pleased. She stared at his shrinking figure until he turned on a corner and vanished, to which she decided to head to her room as well, her mind still filled with thoughts of him. She entered her room and glanced at the food that awaited her in a majestic table, but she didn't focus on it just yet. She glanced out the window, still wondering if Sokka was beginning to see her under a different light… could the bond between them be convenient for a sponsor and a gladiator? What was the nature of their bond, anyway? Finding they shared one or two traits meant nothing, not when she thought him to be so inferior and when he didn't trust her at all…

Still, she had no choice but to trust him. Her fate would be determined tomorrow in Ember Island's Arena... her destiny was in Sokka's hands.


	10. Chapter 10

Sokka was forced awake by a sudden knocking on his door. There were no windows in his cabin, so he couldn't tell what time it was; only by judging how well-rested he felt he could figure he had gotten a good night's sleep.

"Gladiator" said the voice of a man from the hall, who he assumed to be a Royal Guard "We are nearing Ember Island. Go to the kitchen to get your breakfast. Meet the Princess in the ship's armory afterwards"

Sokka blinked and rubbed his eyes, still slightly sleepy. He slipped in some of the spare clothing available in his room, all of the garments too typical of the Fire Nation for his liking. He obeyed the orders he had been given, and he ate his meal enthusiastically, grateful, as usual, for such delicious course of food. And after asking for directions, he headed to the armory where he had been summoned to, still between yawns and stretches. The sun had been up for a while now; he could see it through the windows of the ship. Surely they would arrive to Ember Island very soon.

He entered the room without even knocking, and he was glad to see Azula was already there. But she wasn't the one thing that caught his eye: a magnificent armor stood next to her. Its design was traditional to the Fire Nation's outfits, but the cobalt coloring gave it a somewhat familiar vibe… as if it were a Water Tribe-makeshift armor. Next to the armor was a wolf-shaped helmet very similar to the one he had worn back when he had first encountered Azula. He frowned at the sight of both things, and Azula turned to him, her head held high, as usual.

"Are they to your liking?" she inquired

"W-when did you…? How did you…?"

"These few weeks weren't an entire waste of time for me" said Azula "I went to the Royal Blacksmith and asked him to make this for you. This way you will be the Blue Wolf for real, won't you?"

"I… I guess" said Sokka, still puzzled. He walked to the armor and touched it; the metal it had been crafted from seemed strong enough to protect him from powerful blows "I'm impressed you made something so exclusive for me. I was sure I'd have some second-hand armor if I got any at all…"

"You thought so before you knew the true nature of this endeavor" said Azula "Now you know I need you to win. You will be the one to fight in the Arena, the one on whose hands rests the whole operation; once you're there I'll be rendered useless... but meanwhile, I'll do whatever I can to help you win"

"You really want to win, huh?" asked Sokka, gulping as he took the helmet in his hands "Just how bad is that guy that you refuse to marry him so ?"

"I would refuse to marry most anyone, actually" said Azula "But being betrothed to him of all people is something I cannot accept"

"What did he do to you?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "Or is it that he's not good-looking or something?"

"His looks are perfectly fine" muttered Azula "His brains, on the other hand… oh, nevermind. It's not something I want to reminisce about right now. Get the armor on, we'll go straight to the Arena once we arrive in Ember Island"

"Okay, okay… but I really would like to know what your deal with this Chan guy is…" said Sokka, playfully. He held the breastplate up for a moment, surprised of how light it was, and was about to strip off his clothes when he realized he was not alone.

Azula wasn't looking at him; her arms were folded as she thought about how she needed to get out of that blasted arranged marriage… She couldn't lose today. She couldn't afford it. She would never marry that useless Chan…

"Uh… do you think I need any help or something?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"What?" said Azula, blankly

"You told me to get dressed, but you won't get out… do you want to help me put on the armor or something?" asked Sokka, smirking mischievously at her.

The look in his face was enough to tell Azula he was simply joking, but the implications of what he'd just said forced a flush up to her face. She glared at him and rolled her eyes as she exited the room, muttering.

"You'd wish I'd help you…"

Sokka chuckled, satisfied by her reaction. As soon as she closed the door behind her, he began fitting the armor around him, amazed by how easy it was to move in it. Metallic plates covered his arms and chest, his legs were clad in coverings also. He was slightly held down by the weight, but it wouldn't put him off so much. The helmet fit his head perfectly, and he smiled slightly, feeling like he was truly The Blue Wolf now… but he wasn't. He had been a blue wolf back when he had been with his people, his old outfit would have honored his nickname far better than this Fire Nation imitation of his Tribe's style. He sighed, missing his homeland more than ever… but he would be one step closer to going back to them if he triumphed on today's battle. It probably would take him years, but Piandao had taught him to be patient. Everything would come in time.

Sokka walked out to the main deck once again, where Azula stood, her gaze focused completely on the island that kept coming closer and closer. Sokka approached her, taking his helmet off and holding it under one arm, and he stared in the same direction she was looking at.

"So… that's Ember Island?" he asked

Azula nodded curtly, her golden eyes still fixated on their destination. She sighed slowly, and Sokka realized just how nervous she was.

"How do I look?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Azula frowned and turned to him, eyeing him without much interest.

"What does it matter how you look? You're not headed to a fashion showdown; you're going to a gladiator fight. You won't be awarded more points for looking good in your armor"

"Huh, so I do look good, huh?" said Sokka, smiling

Azula let out a groan of annoyance as she rolled her eyes, Sokka chuckled again at her as she stared on towards Ember Island again; but her words resounded in his mind once more. He frowned as her words gained a meaning within his head.

"What's that of getting awarded points?" he asked, looking at her with confused eyes.

"Oh... I forgot to explain, didn't I?" said Azula "There are many rules you need to abide by in the Superior League, rules that were nowhere to be found in the amateur fights you took part in for these years. For one, the winner is determined by judges, not by who kills and who dies"

"Judges?" asked Sokka, astounded "That's odd... what exactly do they judge?"

"Your way of fighting" said Azula "They make the call over who triumphs and who doesn't. Don't worry, they're impartial. Their role exists to avoid the unnecessary killing of gladiators to give a resolution to the fights"

"Oh, I see... that's a relief" said Sokka, smiling

"Don't get too cozy because of that" Azula warned him "It doesn't mean you're safe from getting killed, the danger is still there. If you face some hysterical gladiator you're not likely to walk out of it unscathed"

"It's still better than fighting to the death" stated Sokka, shrugging "And the judges are the ones to give out the points?"

"In a way, they are, since they decide who wins or loses. Simply put, the winner takes it all, the loser is left to weep about the battle's result. Each gladiator will have an assigned value, you could say. The top gladiator of the ranking is assigned five hundred points, the second is worth four hundred and ninety-nine, and so on. The last fighter in the ranking is worth one."

"Huh, so I'm only valued in one? Seeing as I've never fought before I'm likely to be the last..."

"Didn't I tell you your position is 491? You're tied there with all the gladiators that have no points."

"Ah, I get it now..." said Sokka "So I should be worth..."

"Ten points" replied Azula, quickly "Didn't they teach you how to count in your Tribe?"

"Of course they did" grunted Sokka, irritated now "How many points does my rival have, then?"

"If I recall correctly…" muttered Azula, making memory "It was somewhere near 2500. Perhaps 2560 or 2570… I can't remember the exact number"

"Gee" said Sokka, gulping "He's probably been fighting for a while now, huh?"

"I'm not sure about the exact amount of time, but I believe he has been…" said Azula, focusing on the rapidly approaching island again.

Sokka leaned on the ship's enclosure as he looked at Azula. He rose an eyebrow at how determined she seemed to be, but when he stared deep into her eyes, he could see another emotion right there…

"You can stop being so anxious, you know?" he said, and Azula twitched

"You think I can stop…" she grunted "I can't. You don't understand what's at stake here"

"I don't really get the whole picture" said Sokka, shrugging "But it makes no sense for you to go around fidgeting like that. You already did all you could do. I'm the one who should be troubled now… if I fail, I doubt I'll ever hear the end of it"

"Oh, you will. The end of it will come either when I kill you for failing or I drop you once more at the Amateur League"

"See? I'll have it worse than you, no matter how you look at it" said Sokka, sighing dramatically.

Azula couldn't help but chuckle and look at him sideways. She truly had no choice other than to trust him… and that meant there was a lot of pressure on him. Not every day did a slave find himself carrying the hopes of the Fire Nation Princess on his shoulders…

"Princess, we're almost at the port now" said the Captain of her Royal Guard, approaching her "How shall we proceed?"

Azula turned to him, a frown on her brow now.

"I believe you must be sick and tired of hearing this, Captain… but I won't be taking any of you with me"

The Captain forgot all about rules and guidelines for a moment and he groaned in exasperation. With his hands on his hips he stared at the Princess, his body language demanding an explanation.

"Why?" he said between gritted teeth.

"Don't give me that attitude, Captain" replied Azula "You're hired to work for me and obey every single order of mine"

"I was hired to work as a Royal Guard, and your father tasked me with protecting you at all times" said the Captain "But you refuse to let me fulfill my duty. If you don't want me to give you my attitude, I might as well ask the same from you. Two can play this game, Princess"

"I don't think so, Captain" she retorted, frowning even more, her golden glare so fierce upon the man that Sokka was sure she'd set him on fire "I'll remind you of your place in the world if I have to… you're only here to serve me. If I don't require of your services, then you have no business trying to force your will upon mine, because it's not going to work. I don't want my identity to be revealed before the right moment by guards or palanquins that will immediately give away who I am. Don't fret, you're still going to get paid…"

"This is not a matter of payment, it's a matter of honor and duty" said the Captain, firmly.

Azula smiled now and rolled her eyes.

"Ironies… when I need men to forget their honor, they abide by it non-stop. When I wish they would be honorable, they do the exact opposite… Fortune enjoys making fun of me, apparently. I am pleased to discover you're such a proud man; it relieves me to know I have such honorable guard, but I don't want you to guard me for now. In fact, I refuse to have you guard me"

The Captain curled up his fists, irked at how reckless the Princess was being. She needed protection; if not, why was he serving her in the first place?

"You can go fool around in town if you want, but stay clear of the Arena" ordered Azula as the barge arrived to the port. The ship's access ramp was lowered then, and Sokka took a deep breath, knowing that the next time he climbed aboard this ship he would either be celebrating or begging Azula not to send him back to the Amateur Arena…

"Princess, I'm asking you to be reasonable…" said the Captain, but she turned to him one last time, and by the look on her eyes, he knew she was about to get away with whatever she had in mind.

"I expect the ship to be ready to sail when we return, which might happen around dusk if this drags on for longer than I envisioned" said Azula "Make sure my every command is followed, Captain. I will see you in a few hours"

The Royal Guard's Captain sighed and rolled his eyes, though his mask wouldn't let his facial expression be seen by anyone else. But even if it had been visible, Azula wouldn't have seen it since she had begun walking down to the port, with Sokka treading slowly behind her.

The town was very strange in the eyes of the Water Tribe man; he looked at the stores and houses from afar with slight interest, seeing this was a neighborhood for the high-class citizens of the Fire Nation. Azula led the way inside the town after taking off her hairpiece and tucking it into her pocket. Sokka frowned when the curtain of jet-black hair fell on her shoulders with mystifying elegance.

"What are you…?"

"The hairpiece gives me away" she said "I don't want rumors of my arrival to reach the ears of Chan before the right time…"

"Huh? But he knows he's fighting us, so he'd know you'd get here eventually… or wouldn't he?" he asked, raising an eyebrow towards Azula.

"No, he has no idea he's dealing with me" said Azula, smirking slightly, her anxiety fading slightly as she recalled the way she had devised her plan to cause greater impact on her enemy "The challenges are issued from one gladiator to the other, they don't say who the sponsor is"

"Then how the hell did you know The Spawn is his gladiator?" asked Sokka, frowning

"I used a very sly trick, actually…" said Azula, smirking even more as they began climbing a road that led to a small hill.

"No surprises there…" grunted Sokka, but she ignored him

"You see, you've only just been written into the ranking. It takes time for the data of the new gladiators to travel to all the Arenas participating in the Superior Gladiator League; thus, my issued challenge would arrive to Chan before the information about you came to Ember Island's Arena, which is the only way for him to discover who your sponsor was. He would have assumed you were a meaningless new recruit or so, with some rich sponsor willing to go at all ends to fight someone as powerful as him…"

"So you were stroking his ego by playing everything like this…" said Sokka, surprised "That's why you decided we could come to Ember Island rather than force him to go to the Capital's Arena, because he wouldn't have wanted to move an inch to fight a gladiator that had been registered in the ranking recently…"

"No, he might have" said Azula "He would have thought you were a weakling and would have enjoyed bringing you down… but if he was given the chance to do that from the comfort of his hometown, he would have been less likely to refuse. Since he accepted, I'm taking for granted my analysis on him was spot-on."

"You're really fearsome" said Sokka, gulping "You've got no trouble reading through people and making a living hell out of their happy lives…"

"You're proof of that" she replied, smirking slightly.

Sokka stopped when they were halfway up the hill and looked around, gazing at the town with interest. He had never seen anything similar to this place… Shu Jing was a very calm village, most of the buildings were houses and a handful of stores, but Ember Island was almost a commercial district in itself. Azula halted as well when she realized Sokka was eying the town that spread below.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked "I'm surprised a savage like you would find any beauty on landscapes"

"Blame it on Piandao" said Sokka, chuckling "He had me study landscapes all the time, so that I would remember every single detail on them. I'm subconsciously doing what he taught me to do…"

Azula raised an inquisitive eyebrow but joined him for a moment in staring at their surroundings.

"It hasn't changed much since the last time I was here…" she muttered carelessly, and Sokka heard her.

"You've been here before, then? Was that when you met this Chan guy?"

"Yes, that was my last visit… I used to come here with my family a long time ago too" said Azula, frowning at the memories that assaulted her mind all of sudden. She turned towards the direction where her old summer house stood… and was slightly discouraged to see how faint the magnificent palace had become. The derangement of the structure was evident even from afar…

"Hey, is that a restaurant?" asked Sokka, bringing Azula out of her thoughts again.

"What…? Yes, it is" said Azula, sighing as Sokka stared at the place with awe

"You know, I've never been to a restaurant… are they any good? You've been to Ember Island before, so you might have eaten there…"

"No, I haven't" said Azula "Me and my family hardly ever ate out when we came here. And I didn't really have time to go sight-seeing on my last visit… I could have, yet I didn't"

"Why?" asked Sokka, as they resumed their walk uphill

"On that last visit… I met Chan" said Azula, clenching her fists at the memory "I had come with Mai and Ty Lee; my father had told me to go on vacation for two days because he wanted to meet with his war advisors alone. I asked both of them to come with me and they accepted. We were at the beach, enjoying the sunny day… but I got bored quickly. When I saw there was a Kuai Ball court not too far from where we were, I forced Ty Lee and Mai to join me to beat down other teams. As we did, we caught Chan's eye and he invited us to the party… well, not really us"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"Seeing as my playing style was rather ruthless, I intimidated him and he was mainly interested in Mai and Ty Lee" said Azula "But he invited all of us to his dumb party anyway, since he must have known how rude it was of him not to ask me to go"

"Well, it would have been plain stupid of him not to invite you…" said Sokka "I mean, even if he didn't like you, you're the Princess…"

"Ah, but he never knew that" said Azula, smirking "I didn't bother telling him who I was. I wanted to know if I could earn his respect through my true self rather than my title… well, his respect and…"

Sokka felt slightly uncomfortable as he understood what Azula was implying.

"You… had a crush on that guy, by any chance?"

"He's attractive" she admitted, flushing slightly "At least, he was back then. Anyway, I wanted to flirt with him, yet I knew nothing of how to do it… Ty Lee tried to help me, but it was a complete fiasco. Bottom line was that I left the useless party for a while and I talked to Ty Lee and Mai outside… after that, I decided the best thing I could do to feel better was…"

"Was…?" asked Sokka, gulping. Did he really want to hear the end of the story?

"Was to burn down his house" Azula finished. Sokka halted as he stared ahead blankly, in complete disbelief. He shook his head after a few seconds, no longer astounded.

"You're one of a kind, really" he said, walking quickly to catch up with her again "I should only expect the unexpected from you…"

"I thought you had already figured that out" said Azula, smirking

"No wonder you don't want to marry him…" Sokka stated "In fact, I can't understand why he hasn't protested against marrying you himself"

"He didn't know he was dealing with Princess Azula that night" she said "And he's about to find out…"

Sokka lifted his head and was left gaping in awe at the building that stood in front of them. The pathetic Hui Yi wooden Arena was nothing in comparison to this magnificent structure, which, according to the inscription atop the gates, was The Ember Crater. Most he could see from the outside was red, and it was shaped as an erupting volcano. Sokka gulped at the sight, Azula didn't seem to care much for the Arena's appearance and walked inside it with haste, pushing the double doors inwards. Sokka followed her fit.

A man around thirty years old sat behind the counter and was surprised to see the unusual pairing that approached his desk. Azula set a hand on the table as she said.

"I'm checking in for the battle scheduled at three o'clock. My gladiator is The Blue Wolf"

The man blinked for a few seconds, trying to understand the mechanics of a woman sponsoring a man… there were female gladiators, but female sponsors? It was not simply uncommon, it was unheard of… He looked up the list of battles of the day and saw The Blue Wolf was meant to fight The Spawn of the Volcano today; he nodded towards Azula and smiled kindly, trying to conceal his initial surprise.

"Your fight is scheduled at three, as you said. What weapons will your gladiator use?"

Azula turned to Sokka and prompted him to answer, seeing as she had no clue regarding what he had decided to wield.

"Uh… I'll use a sword, a boomerang, a club, a knife and a bomb" he said, since it was what he had brought with himself for this particular fight.

The man seemed puzzled over the fact that the gladiator had been the one to answer his question, but he tried to appear unsettled as he wrote down what Sokka had told him with a shaky grin on his face. Once he was done, he said:

"You have a few hours to wait before your combat begins. You can either go to the stands to watch the other fights or head into the waiting rooms that are at the upper levels of the Arena"

"A waiting room should do" said Azula, guessing Sokka might grow nervous if he was to watch the way the fights unfolded in the Superior League.

The man led the two of them to an empty room with scarce illumination. For some reason, Azula felt very comfortable in it. The man closed the door once they were both inside and he walked away, leaving Sokka and Azula to themselves. The Princess sat down on a couch in the center of the room, looking unusually defeated now.

Sokka began stretching to pass the time. It was around noon by now, so they would likely still have quite a period of leisure time ahead of them; Azula frowned at the sight of him exercising like this; in normal circumstances she would have admitted to a certain appeal at watching him, but she was a bit troubled at the moment to marvel at his manly figure consciously.

"You do know that we'll be here for a while, don't you?" she muttered

"Yeah… so?"

"Why are you stretching now? It'll be a long time before you're called in to fight"

"I have nothing better to do, so…" was his simple reply, and he shrugged carelessly as he continued with his routine, bending over to touch his toes with his fingertips.

Azula tried to avoid watching him, although doing so proved to be quite a nice distraction to slow down her thoughts. Sokka was twisting his torso around when he noticed she was watching him intently, but through the look on her eyes he could tell her mind was elsewhere.

"Uh…" he said, feeling slightly uncomfortable "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing in particular" muttered Azula, blinking rapidly to force her eyes to turn away from Sokka's rear.

"Oh, really...?" he asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Don't you have better things to worry about than where my eyes are settling upon?" was Azula's retort, as she glared at him defiantly

"Yeah, maybe... things like if there are any other rules on this fight that you should have told me about already" he asked, settling his hands on his hips

"There might be" said Azula, closing her eyes thoughtfully "I didn't tell you there's a time limit, did I?"

"Huh?" said Sokka, surprised "A time limit? Why?"

"It's used to conclude the battles" said Azula "There are many fights that would drag on for ages if there were no time limits. Whoever dominates the battle within the established time will win"

"And who decides how long the fight lasts?" Sokka inquired

"The sponsors agree on the determined time before the battle begins" said Azula "The span of the fight can't exceed an hour, they're normally around thirty minutes or so"

"How long do you expect this fight to be?" asked Sokka

"I don't expect it to be too long. I'll try to set the limit to twenty minutes"

"And... will I have to fight for all those twenty minutes? Or can the combat end before the time is up?"

"It can end before, if one of the two fighters gets knocked out. If they're both standing when the time ends, the judges debate for a while to determine the winner. Also, I had forgotten to mention this... there will be objects in the pit"

"Huh? What sort of objects?" asked Sokka

"Nets, wooden structures, fences of some sort… they're mere furniture that can work as an obstacle for you or as an advantage, if you're able to use your surroundings to help you in your fight. But beware… destroying the furniture isn't free"

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Sokka, beginning to stretch again as he frowned, confused.

"You will get discounted points for each object you break" explained Azula, trying to avoid staring mindlessly at him again "Each object has a worth of twenty points, if you wreck one of them, those twenty points will be taken from your total score up to date"

"So I can break whatever I want today?" asked Sokka, surprised "I mean… I'm at zero, aren't I?"

"You are at zero, but the point deduction comes after the fight has been finished. So if you beat the Spawn, you'd still lose points for the broken objects; though if he beats you there will be no real purpose in getting worried over losing points…"

Sokka looked at her, slightly worried now. He had never imagined the day would come when he would see the Princess displaying such downcast demeanor. It bothered him more than it should have, which was slightly disturbing…

"Hey, calm down…" said Sokka, sitting next to her "Everything will be fine, you'll see…"

"How can you say that for certain?" grunted Azula, staring at the ground "It's not as if you really knew what will happen when you're out there…"

"As sweet as it is to see you're concerned about my safety, I don't think it's necessary" said Sokka, making Azula frown in irritation

"I'm not concerned about you. When did I ever say you were the center of my anxiety?"

"Well, I should be! For all you know, I might end up dead out there!" said Sokka, folding his arms across his chest.

"Wonderful way to reassure me, I mean it…" grunted Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, quit it" said Sokka "The only one who should be worried here is me. I mean, it's not as if you didn't have another way out…"

"You think there's something else I could do to get rid of Chan?" asked Azula, frowning

"Sure" said Sokka "I mean… you can kill him, right? I take you to be the type who could cut a man's throat and sleep like a baby afterwards…"

"I am, of course" said Azula, sighing "But my father told me I had one chance to prove Chan was unworthy of me, and the span of one month to use said opportunity… If I can't perform according to the conditions I was given, then the honor I boast about wouldn't even exist"

"So crazy murderous Princesses have a shred of honor… I never would have imagined it" said Sokka, slightly surprised.

Azula glared at him, irritated.

"Do you even know what you're talking about when you say the word honor? I rather doubt it…"

"I do, actually" said Sokka, proudly "Piandao has talked a lot to me about it"

Azula frowned in disbelief at first, disregarding that statement, although Sokka failed to notice her reaction since he was too busy thinking of all he knew about honor now.

"Has he, now…?" she asked, her contempt obvious in her voice but Sokka ignored it.

"Yeah, he talked to me about many things" said Sokka, grinning in a silly way "He has made me a better warrior and a better man!"

"Then I guess I should have paid him twice what I…" said Azula, smirking at first, but then her face fell as she frowned, patting her waist. Sokka eyed her with confusion

"What's the matter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I, uh… I think I…" she muttered, looking around her and closing her eyes as she forced herself to remember if she had brought the bag with her… but she didn't need to think about it much to realize she had left it in her cabin

"What?" growled Sokka, annoyed "What did you do?"

"It's more like what I didn't do…" said Azula, a guilty smile spreading over her face "I… I forgot the money. I left it on the ship"

"The money…?" repeated Sokka, puzzled at first. It took him a few seconds to understand what his sponsor was talking about "Wait… the money for the bid?!"

"Yes, I… I left it on a counter and I forgot to pick it up… I was going to, but I was…"

"Too busy worrying pointlessly about what will happen and what won't" grunted Sokka, irked "And how much money were you betting anyway?"

"Fifty thousand yuans…" said Azula, and Sokka jumped out of his seat, his eyes wide with shock

"FIFTY THOUSAND?! ARE YOU MENTAL?!" he yelled, and Azula just stared at him, surprised.

"It's not really that much…" said Azula, and Sokka froze in his spot before remembering who he was talking to.

"Right, right, you're the Princess" he grunted "You take baths in pools of gold, I didn't remember that…"

"Oh, please" said Azula "Bathing in gold wouldn't clean anyone…"

"The fact that you object to the purpose rather than the possibility of getting bathed in gold proves my point" grunted Sokka, rolling his eyes "Well? You need that money, so you'd better go get it now before…"

The door was swung open before Sokka finished his sentence. A bald man stood behind it, looking unexpectedly solemn. Judging by the way his outfit matched with the attire the man from the counter wore, they both guessed this man worked in the Arena too.

"The Blue Wolf's combat will begin shortly" he said, prompting them to leave the room with a hand.

"So much for going back to the ship to get the money…" said Azula, her stomach turning at the thought "Make sure you win now, will you?"

"Was this some sort of ploy to get more pressure on me?" asked Sokka, glaring at her as they both treaded behind the man who was leading them.

"What good would that have done to either of us?" she grunted, glowering back at him.

"You have a weird way to go at things…" said Sokka, shrugging.

The man led them to a group of stairs; one flight spiraled downwards and another upwards. He smiled as he turned to Azula and Sokka again.

"The gladiator must go down and turn left until he reaches the stand-by room. The sponsor shall go upstairs and sit at the balcony from where you'll witness the fight next to your fellow sponsor"

Azula nodded positively, but to both Sokka and the man's surprise, she started downwards. Sokka shrugged as the man stared at them in disbelief and he followed the Princess to the lower level of the Arena.

"D-didn't you hear me?!" he asked, astounded

"I did hear you" said Azula, not slowing down "I will head upstairs later, there's no need to grow so tense over this"

"B-but…"

The man's complaints became simple mutters once they both reached the lowest floor.

"Left, he said?" asked Azula, and Sokka nodded, leading the way now as she walked behind him.

The hallways down below were of stone, to Azula's surprise. She hadn't seen anything this rudimentary in Ember Island before. Sokka didn't care much for the décor as he finally found the previously mentioned stand-by room. There was no door in the threshold, although there was a heavy metallic grid at the other side of the room… and through it he could see the very thing he hadn't missed in the slightest.

"I hate sand" he grunted, glaring at the pit

"You'll have to deal with it" said Azula, shrugging

"Why did you come down here?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "You could have gone upstairs…"

"I want to make sure Chan arrives first" she said "That way he'll still believe he has the upper hand. I'm just killing time, and… I also wanted to tell you something, before everything is said and done"

Sokka raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she suddenly turned to him, her chest heaving as she took a deep breath, looking at him in the eyes.

"I know you had it hard for two years, I know you loathe me for all I brought upon you… It would have been completely understandable if you hadn't accepted working for me after all you've had to deal with. I'm far more grateful for your services than you can imagine… because thanks to you I could try to regain my freedom. If it weren't for you… I would have lost all hope. I'm actually proud to see the way you've changed from a crazy boy trying to play hero into a full-fledged warrior. I'm glad I took part in your growth, and… and I thank you for giving me hope once again. Perhaps in a few hours I'll be doing anything but thanking you… perhaps I'll be thanking you again. But I just wanted you to know that…"

"I get it" he said, nodding curtly "I get it. Yeah, you're right, I loathe you and that's not going to change not in a million years… but I'm thankful too. Not for all you did to me back then, but what you've done for me lately. You gave me a chance to get a new life… and I'll do my best not to let that go to waste. So… thank you, too"

Azula found herself smiling slightly, and Sokka stretched his hand towards her. She shook it, just as she had the very day they had decided to work together… this might become the last time they would be sponsor and gladiator, but it could also be the beginning of a long partnership they couldn't quite imagine at the moment…

Azula nodded and let go of his hand reluctantly, knowing it was about time she headed upstairs.

"See you later, Sokka" she said, turning to leave.

"See you, Azula…" he whispered; saying each other's name like this sent shivers down both their spines.

Sokka turned to stare at the pit of sand again, and his eyes suddenly grew colder as he began calculating his advantages… he would win. He had to win. It was not even an option to fail here… he would triumph.

Azula saw a group of girls frolicking around the hallway that led to the sponsor's balcony once she had made her way up the stairs. They were chuckling and mumbling nonsense that she only caught when she was close to the door

"He's so handsome…"

"And he's the most talented sponsor of Ember Island!"

"Oh, he's the perfect man…"

Azula rolled her eyes, knowing she hadn't made a mistake. Indeed she would be facing one of her worst enemies shortly. She fixed her hair before entering the room, putting her hairpiece in place once more. It was the moment of the grand revelation, what she had been waiting for…

As she opened the door she heard someone chuckle inside. So he was going to play it as the arrogant and superior sponsor, was he?

"Welcome, welcome to my domain" said a familiar voice that made Azula grimace in annoyance. As she walked inside the room she saw him sitting, his back towards her. He hadn't even noticed who he was talking to "I'm sure you thought the name Spawn of the Volcano was really cool and that's why you wanted to challenge me, but I've got to inform you you've made the mistake of a lifetime. Me and my gladiator, we're the top dogs in the Ember Crater. You're about to go down, so low that you'll never get up again…"

He stood up now to give the final impact to his theatrical introduction…

"Because I am…" he started, but she interrupted him

"Oh, I know perfectly well who you are" said Azula, her voice ringing a bell in Chan's head "The question is… do you know who I am?"

He turned around slowly, terrified as he wondered if his worst nightmares were coming true. And the second he identified the woman who was standing in front of the door he froze in place, his eyes almost falling out of his sockets. Damn right, his nightmares were coming true…

"How pleasant to see you again, Chan" said Azula, a sly smirk playing on her lips as she witnessed his reaction. Everything was going according to plan.

**Hey, everyone! I'm most pleased to see this fic has surpassed the 100 reviews barrier already :D You have no idea how thrilled I am! Thanks to everyone who has taken their time to review, I am most glad for all this feedback ^^ gives me the urge to write non-stop every day…**

**But sadly, I can't do that TTwTT no matter if I wish I could TTwTT college is gaining on me and I've got a ton of stuff to deal with, so it's likely you won't get another chapter in a week or more… sorry to leave you with this cruel cliffhanger, I wish I didn't have to TTwTT but duty calls and I've got to obey it even if I wish I didn't… So I'll be seeing you guys soon again! I promise I'm not going to neglect this fic, I just need to tend to my boring life for a while and then I'll return to Sokka and Azula's crazy endeavors! I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway, see you guys soon!**


	11. Chapter 11

The dumbfounded expression on Chan's face proved to be exactly as Azula had envisioned it would be. Every step of her plan, every decision she had made, had been so that on this moment he would realize that he had anything but the upper hand in this particular fight.

"I'm most pleased to see you seem to recognize me" said Azula, a malicious smirk playing on her lips "I was certain you would have forgotten about me after all this time..."

"How could I... how would I forget?" he muttered, avoiding looking at her in the eye "Because of you I was grounded for a year..."

"I am so sorry to hear that" she said, coating her words with irony

"W-well, it's too late now to apologize about that..."

"Are you acquainted with the term 'sarcasm', by any chance?" she asked, staring at him with derision "It's a figure of speech that can be used to play tricks on gullible minds such as yours. Just so you understand the way it works, I'll let you know that I am anything but sorry for the sorrows that befell you. Do you get the mechanics of sarcasm now or must I spell it out word by word to you so you finally seize its meaning?"

Chan blushed and glared at Azula, not appreciating her devious statements in the slightest. If anything, she had become even more troublesome and dangerous than she used to be.

"W-w-wha... what are you... why are you here?" he mumbled, trying to keep his cool somehow and failing terribly at it.

"You're more stupid than I remembered. Perhaps the years have killed your neurons one by one... not that you had a brilliant mind to begin with" she said, still smirking as she approached the empty seat next to Chan's "I'll make this a simple game, to test if your brain is as much of a lost case as I think it is. The only thing you need to do in this game is to answer me a single question: why would I be allowed to enter a room that is reserved for sponsors only?"

"B-because you came here to kill me...?" was Chan's fear-induced guess.

"Dead wrong" said Azula, sighing "It would seem your mind is as empty as I thought it was... Think, Chan. Only sponsors are allowed to enter this room. I am in this room. So...?"

Chan had to make quite an effort to put his fear aside for a brief moment as he pieced together the puzzle before him. And once he was done doing that, his eyes opened wide and he stared at Azula, horrified. When she saw he had finally arrived to the right conclusion, she merely smirked and took her seat, making him gasp and shake his head in shock.

"N-no… y-you can't be a sponsor… y-you can't be!" he said, completely lost in denial.

"Why not?" asked Azula, staring into the Arena intently. She gazed down at the furniture displayed and wondered if Sokka would be able to make use of any of the material available: there were three nets at the sides of the pit, four wooden structures that spiraled as if they were the twisted roots of an old tree, and lastly three metallic plates stuck in the ground in random spots.

"B-because you're a girl! Girls don't sponsor gladiators!" yelled Chan, making Azula's eyebrow twitch in disapproval.

"Or so you believed" said Azula "But there's no decree that claims a woman can't sponsor a gladiator if she feels like it. Thus, I can be a sponsor, regardless how uncomfortable that makes you"

"B-but that's plain wrong!" said Chan, shaking his head "Girls don't like this kind of stuff! And they don't make money on their own, so they can't afford the bets…!"

"Funny you mention that" said Azula, tapping her chin with a finger "Just how do you make the money you use for these fights, Chan?"

Chan grew pale at first and when Azula's gaze shifted towards him, he blushed in shame. She smirked again; she had always known the answer to the question, but humiliating him like this was truly priceless.

"Well…?" she asked "Does your father give it to you, by any chance?"

"Y-you… y-you…" he said, stuttering clumsily.

"I figured as much" said Azula, chuckling lightly "You are truly more pathetic than I recalled, Chan…"

"I… I'm not pathetic!" he yelled

"No talents of your own, no source of income but your father's job, you're a sexist moron too… You are pretty much the definition of pathetic in my personal dictionary, if you don't mind me saying it so bluntly"

Chan felt annoyed at her comments, but the fury that could have brewed within him was easily contained when he recalled the horrible shape of his former house after she had decided to take out on it the frustration she had felt when he had rejected her. He gulped and took his seat, hoping they could remain quiet for a little longer… but he still couldn't believe his worst nightmare, the woman sitting next to him, was sponsoring a gladiator.

"How… and, why?" he asked, unable to stop himself "I mean… I don't get it… y-you just put it all so that I could have an easy win…"

"No, I didn't" said Azula, smirking "I put it all so that you THOUGHT you'd have an easy win, but truth to be told, I was merely hoaxing you. I plan on winning this fight… well; my gladiator will be the one to take care of that anyway"

"W-why…?! Are you that desperate to make my life miserable?! You already wrecked my house! W-why do you want to kill my gladiator too?!"

"I never said I wanted to kill your gladiator" said Azula "I doubt the man I hired would want to kill him, if that's any consolation for you. And believe me, I'm actually fixing your life through what I'm doing right now"

"Huh? Fixing it?!" he yelled, glaring at her "How the hell are you fixing anything with this?!"

"You see…" Azula began, but she was interrupted by someone's entry into the room.

"Excuse me…" muttered a man, approaching both of them with a piece of paper in his hand "I'm here to talk about the set time limit. How long do you wish this battle to be?"

"F-five minutes…" grunted Chan under his breath, but Azula ignored him.

"I'm thinking about twenty minutes, and I'm certain my fellow sponsor shall agree with me" said Azula "It's a reasonable time limit, I believe…"

Chan didn't want anything to do with this matter anymore, so he simply sighed and nodded in agreement. Azula smirked cruelly

"Of course, it can always end earlier than that…"

Chan twitched in his seat when he heard her words. What was she planning to do, kill his gladiator from up here? It was unlikely she had found some outstanding fighter who could take out the Spawn effectively under twenty minutes…

"Very well, then" said the man, nodding as he wrote down the assigned time and handed over the paper to Azula "Please sign in agreement to the conditions…"

They both complied, although Chan's hand shook when it was his turn to write his name next to Azula's. Only once he was done he bothered taking a look at the name next to his and he frowned in confusion as he began deciphering the symbols that comprised it… but the man snatched the paper from him before he could make a connection.

"Good luck to both of you" said the man "May the best gladiator win. I shall take my leave now, Chan, Princess…"

And with those words, he left the room quietly. Azula's gaze was once again upon the arena as she detailed everything about it… there had to be at least four hundred people waiting for the fight to begin; she assumed Chan's gladiator was quite popular among the people of Ember Island… surely they hadn't come to watch Sokka when he had no fame just yet. But his name would acquire glory and praise, surely… she was betting her very life in hopes that it would.

Azula was brought back to reality from her thoughts when the man next to her whimpered. She frowned and looked at him, confused. He was staring at her with such horror she wondered if there was some sort of ghost or monster behind her… though she was the monster, according to what her mother had said about her once. She still couldn't help but look behind her to make sure there was nothing there and, once she checked they were alone in the room, she turned to him again.

"Is the skin falling off my face or something? What's the matter with you?"

"Y-you… y-y-y-you can't be… oh, for the love of… n-n-n-no… y-y-you…" he mumbled, his wide eyes even filling with tears as the realization downed upon him "Y-you're… you're not really… y-y-you can't be…"

Everything fell into place all of sudden as he stared at the hairpiece in her head. He had failed to notice it earlier, too shocked to see that face once again to analyze what she looked like…

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, irritated now "Answer me!"

"I just…" said Chan, shaking his head as he realized he had been a fool for all these years… not once he had bothered asking her name, nor had he wondered where she came from or where she was going to… "I just need to know one thing... W-what… w-w-what is your name…?"

Azula found herself smirking. She no longer needed an explanation for what was troubling him.

"So you finally had the guts to ask…" she said, smiling at him with that unique hint of deviousness that characterized her "I am Princess Azula, daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and heir to the throne of the Fire Nation"

Chan's jaw dropped, just as Azula had hoped it would. The stupid look on his face made her realize she had been just a teenage fool back when she had developed a crush on him: had she gotten to see him show such a dumb expression she would have never gone to such lengths to impress him.

"N-no… n-n-no… y-y-you can't be…" he muttered, growing paler by the minute.

"Do you believe me now when I tell you I'm not attempting to wreck your life, but the opposite?" asked Azula, staring at the sand again "You don't wish to marry me, do you?"

"HELL, NO!" he yelled, his hands going to his hair as he stared at her in horror.

"I'm very pleased to see the feeling is mutual" she said, smirking again "Very well, then… if everything goes as planned, we might just get out of this ridiculous arrangement"

"Huh? W-what are you trying to…?"

"Ladies and gentlemen of Ember Island!" yelled a man through a bullhorn. Azula looked up and saw another balcony across where she was; she guessed, by the appearance of the people who occupied it, that it was probably the judges' particular terrace; the man speaking through the megaphone was standing amongst them "The fourth gladiator combat of the day will begin now!"

A cheer shook the crowd, something that surprised Azula slightly. She didn't know why people hooted in this manner, it was completely illogical… Chan, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less over the screams and whatnot. He was still too busy trying to register that the horrible girl who had destroyed his life was the one his father had set him up to marry… this was definitely not his lucky day at all…

"On the eastern end of the Arena we have the Ember Crater's most distinguished gladiator, who has been suffering of quite a bad streak lately…" said the man at the bullhorn "But nonetheless, he's one of Ember Island's favorite fighters! After 312 wins and 113 losses, and standing in the spot 234 of the ranking with a grand total of 2561 points, I give you… the Spawn of the Volcano!"

Cheers greeted the firebender as the metallic gate rolled upwards and he walked out of the stand-by area. Azula winced at the sight: he looked like a humanized Komodo Rhino. Even his skin looked grayish, and his nose was big enough to look like a horn. Clad in a brown armor that hardly seemed to protect his torso, he walked into the sand pit while yelling and prompting the crowd to scream louder. Azula was truly revolted by the gladiator; Chan would have taken the opportunity to brag about the Spawn but he was still unable to stomach that he was engaged to marry the woman sitting next to him.

"And on the western end, a new addition to the rankings!"

Azula's entire body writhed when she realized it was finally about to begin… She stared at the gate, anxiety turning her world upside down as she waited for Sokka to walk into the stage that would decide both their lives…

"A non-bender who hasn't seen any gladiator fights in the Superior League so far…" said the man of the bullhorn "Hopefully he won't chicken out after fighting with our Spawn! Give a cheer for The Blue Wolf!"

Nobody screamed for Sokka, but people did clap politely for him as the gate opened. He took a deep breath before stepping into the sand, the familiar feel of the unstable surface making him cringe. He was surprised by the amount of spectators who had attended the fight; it was likely twice as many people as there were when Hui Yi's seats were sold out. He focused on taking in the sight of his opponent, who was currently huffing at him like a rabid boarcupine. Sokka didn't need to analyze him much to realize how hollow the man's skull was… which aided him to make choices upon his plan of action. So the Spawn of the Volcano was a firebender, wasn't he…? And wrecking furniture wouldn't go unpunished…? Sokka allowed himself a small smirk of arrogance after devising his idea and then turned his head towards the balconies. He saw a group of unknown people in the northern wing of the Arena and when he turned southwards, he saw the only familiar face he would spot in the entire Arena.

Azula was staring directly at him, her golden eyes ablaze with anxiety and despair, and Sokka was surprised that, despite all this distance, he could read her emotions so clearly. Maybe she could read his too… he smiled at her reassuringly, something that took her by surprise: she didn't know that the very second Sokka had laid eyes upon his enemy he had understood he could triumph. Sokka nodded towards her and it was Azula's turn to take a deep breath. She hoped that whatever confidence he had suddenly sprouted would be of some use after all…

"A… non-bender?" asked Chan, startling her. She had forgotten she wasn't alone in the balcony "What the hell…? Why a non-bender? There's no way a non-bender can beat my Spawn, really…"

"Oh, so he's YOUR spawn?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "So that thing is your son or something of the sort, then? No wonder he looked so stupid, he takes after you well enough…"

Chan frowned and recalled who he was talking to, which prompted him to decide he wouldn't speak to her again until the match was over.

"Gladiators, the hourglass has been set: you will have twenty minutes to resolve this fight. Good luck! Get ready…" said the man of the bullhorn, and the Spawn struck a pose for firebending while Sokka simply folded his arms, his eyes now fixed upon the figure of his rival "…START!"

The Spawn yelled and sent an array of fire towards Sokka, who simply dodged by swinging his body to the right. He took a few seemingly careless steps on that direction while the Spawn kept tossing more fire towards him, each move more elaborate than the previous one, but all of them weaker than the fire Sokka had faced at Azula's hand. Sokka avoided each blow with such ease it startled him… had he become this good, or was the Spawn simply useless in battle?

The procedure continued for a few minutes until the Spawn was left gasping for breath, his hands on his knees. Chan stared in dismay while Azula could only look at Sokka, wondering what he was trying to pull…

"You done?" asked Sokka, and the Spawn growled "Good! Well, how about we get to know one another while you rest?"

Azula's facial expression twisted into the shape of disbelief as she heard her gladiator utter those words. Honestly, what was he doing?!

"My real name is Sokka!" he said, grinning "What's yours?"

"Urgh…" grunted the Spawn, and Sokka nodded

"Alright then, Urgh, nice to meet you. Seems like you're a pretty cool firebender… and I mean that, literally. Your fire is too cold. What's with you? Have you gotten out of shape or have you always been this lousy?"

"ARGH!" yelled the Spawn of the Volcano, and he unleashed a new wave of fire, this time far more intense than the previous ones. Sokka jumped back and used one of the metallic plates to defend himself.

"See? What did I tell you?" he said, smirking "Your fire isn't that hot! Else you'd be able to melt this in a heartbeat!"

The Spawn yelled and continued throwing fire at Sokka, who only grinned as he sprinted towards another nearby metallic plate, dropping behind it

"Maybe that metal was too strong, then! How about this one? Can you burn this one?" he teased him, smirking.

His words produced the very effect he had been hoping for. The Spawn went berserk at the provocation and ushered even more flames, making Sokka jump towards the next metal plate, which was melted even before he could continue teasing his enemy. Now Sokka didn't have many places to go. He kept jumping around, avoiding the fire in whichever way possible by having it attach to the nets on the ground, setting them all on fire along with the extravagant wooden structures. Azula was gritting her teeth at the sight, watching with slight despair as Sokka struggled to keep his footing amongst the burning objects. What was he playing at?

She understood what Sokka was attempting to do when she heard Chan whimper next to her. Shifting her focus from her gladiator for a moment, Azula realized all the furniture had been set on fire… The ten objects on the Arena were scorched or melted, and clearly it was the Spawn's fault… He had just lost 200 points from his score in a single fight thanks to Sokka's hassling. Azula couldn't help but smile with malice now… even if Sokka didn't triumph, the Spawn would have descended at least around ten positions because of this dumb outburst.

"Well, well, that's pretty neat" said Sokka, panting after finding a safe standing place without scorched up objects "You're a better firebender than I took you for! But gee, all this smoke is getting annoying…"

Sokka shook around his hand, trying to shun away the gas, but the Spawn laughed at him.

"You don't like smoke, little boy?" he asked, finally uttering something that made sense, and he cracked his knuckles as he walked towards Sokka.

"No, I do like it…" said Sokka, shrugging "I just think that if you're going to have smoke… you should have a proper amount of it, get it?"

"Huh?" said the Spawn.

"Let me show you, since you don't seem to understand" said Sokka, grinning as he unattached the bomb off his belt and rolled it over to his rival's feet.

The Spawn looked at the object with slight fright, not understanding what it was. Sokka grinned mischievously as the mechanism went on and the bomb unleashed a cloud of smoke so thick that the Spawn shrieked in surprise. Sokka was outside the small perimeter that had gotten affected by the bomb, thus he relied on his usual strategy… waiting and listening until his enemy showed up.

Indeed, the Spawn got outside the cloud of smoke, coughing and choking as he tried to regain the air he needed to bend, but Sokka wouldn't pass out the perfect opportunity to reduce his foe to nothingness. He unsheathed his black sword and ran towards the Spawn, baring his teeth. The Spawn jumped at the sight and threw a small fireball towards Sokka, who, with a simple wave of his sword, forced the fire to dissipate. The Spawn stared at him in horror as Sokka ran to him, afraid he would wound up with a sword slicing up his body… but to his surprise, Sokka seemed to pick a different method to attack him rather than killing him. He would have ravaged the Spawn's body with his sword if he had been supposed to kill his enemy… but he didn't have to resort to such a thing anymore, which filled his heart with a sense of tranquility he couldn't quite explain, a sense that ushered him to fight far more spontaneously than he usually did… a sense that drove him to perform a very high jump towards the Spawn's head.

The Spawn didn't even know what happened, didn't manage to comprehend what was going on when he felt Sokka's knees pressing his ears tightly. Azula's gladiator used every ounce of strength within his system to lift the heavy body of the Spawn with his legs as he performed a somersault, bringing the Spawn with him as he twirled in mid-air.

Azula was left gaping at him with awe as she saw Sokka spin once, managing to sweep the Spawn off his feet with apparent ease. Sokka fell on his back, just as he had planned, and the impact was a little harder on him than he had expected… but he had managed to dunk the Spawn's head into the sand, which had been the objective of his radical move in the first place.

Sokka stood up and sheathed Space Sword as he looked at the pathetic figure of the Spawn. He stuck his hand into the sand and grasped the man by his hair, pulling him up. As he did, the Spawn spewed sand and moaned, looking like he had lost a few neurons after that blow. Sokka stared at him with something similar to compassion for a second, wondering if it was truly necessary for him to knock him out… he was clearly out of it already. He looked towards the judges' balcony, through the already dissipating cloud of smoke, and asked.

"He has to be unconscious for the fight to end, right?"

"Y-yes…" said the man of the megaphone, staring at him in horror along with the rest of the judges "Unless you want to wait for the remaining ten minutes to pass…"

Sokka shook his head, sighed and struck the Spawn of the Volcano on the bridge of his nose with the side of his stretched-out hand. The man's eyes rolled in its sockets as he collapsed, his body becoming so heavy Sokka almost pulled out his hair before letting go of him.

The limp body of the Spawn lay on the ground now. Azula took a moment to realize what the sight of her gladiator standing triumphantly meant… and she smiled with a wild bout of joy as she did. She was free… she had done it. She had proved Chan to be unworthy of her… she had defeated the destiny that had been imposed upon her.

"T-the winner is… T-the Blue Wolf!" said the man with the bullhorn after the judges told him to give out the obvious announcement already.

Azula beamed at Sokka, having never felt proud towards anyone other than herself. Sokka turned to see her and he waved in her direction, almost asking her if she was satisfied with the result. She giggled to herself, which Sokka took as a good sign. He headed towards the gate from which he had entered the Arena, and Azula took a deep breath, completely relieved.

The crowd was frozen; hardly anyone could understand how their hero had been defeated with such ease and so quickly. Azula felt even more pleased when she noticed the reaction of the spectators… surely Sokka's prowess would be spoken of throughout the entire Fire Nation: not every day did a newcomer gladiator defeat a man of the upper half of the ranking on his very first fight. Her ultimate goal was shining ahead of her and she would come closer to it slowly, but certainly…

"Very well, then…" she said, turning to Chan.

She couldn't help but smile even more when she saw him. His jaw had dropped and he was still gaping at his fallen firebender in complete horror…

"Uh… Chan? It's time to get down to business…" she said, and he blinked a few times before turning to her.

"H-how did you…? How could a non-bender…?"

"Oh, I find no purpose in telling you or else you'll try to find yourself a tough non-bender of your own to replace that useless gladiator of yours" said Azula, chuckling "He truly is something, isn't he? He proves that you're better off not underestimating him… just as I've already proved you shouldn't underestimate me"

Chan's face fell with Azula's last statement, knowing she was completely right about it. He stared at his gladiator's flaccid figure and shook his head in disbelief.

"You really found the perfect fighter to suit you… it's like you're two sides of the same coin"

Azula jumped at that statement. Two sides of the same coin?

"As much as I am pleased to hear you can make strange poetic metaphors, I think there's a subject we have to address already" she said, putting aside her thoughts about what Chan had just said "The due payment was of fifty thousand yuans, if my memory doesn't fail me…"

Chan grew paler when she reminded him of this, almost as if the blood had frozen within his veins. He looked at her, horrified, and she raised her eyebrows.

"Well…?" Azula inquired

"N-no… n-no… I… I can't… Y-you…"

"Are you going to tell me you didn't bring the money?" she asked, indignant "How truly irresponsible of you…"

"N-no, I do have it, but…"

"You never thought you'd lose" said Azula, folding her arms "And you don't want to part with it… is that it?"

"M-my father… he'll kill me if he knows I spent so much money in a gladiator fight…" he said, clenching his teeth together.

"You could have asked for a smaller bid when I sent you the challenge" said Azula, shrugging "So it's all on you. Face reality, will you?"

Chan's fist curled up and Azula rolled her eyes, knowing he was still unwilling to depart with his cash.

"Fine, while you come to terms to what you're obliged to do, you could at least tell me what I should do after I've won… I'm new at this, after all" she said, looking at her fingernails

"N-nothing, really…" he said, his eyes focusing on the floor now "You can go to the front counter and see what your gladiator's new position is… b-but there's not much more you need to do…"

"Huh" said Azula, surprised to discover there were no further complications to the matter. She stood up and looked at the man, who seemed to be about to burst into tears "It makes me slightly uncomfortable that every time we meet you end up crying. I guess I have a knack for ruining your life in the span of a few hours… Oh, well. Hand over the money already, will you? I'm not leaving without it, and I'm pretty sure you want me to get away from you as fast as possible"

Chan pouted in quite a ridiculous manner as the tears began streaming from his eyes and he handed her a bag of gold. As soon as it was out of his hand he began crying fully, to Azula's disgust.

"Dad's going to kill me! You… you'll be the death of me… if not today, t-then someday…" he said, hiccupping

"I believe you'll be pleased, then, to hear that I don't plan on meeting with you ever again" said Azula, opening the bag and smiling at the sight of the golden coins "This, luckily, will be the last time we'll see each other. I have to say that you have given me a few laughs and I have enjoyed making your life miserable… but you annoy me far too much to continue seeking opportunities to ruin you. So this is goodbye, Chan, if good fortune remains on my side"

Chan was too busy crying his eyes out to realize the meaning behind Azula's words. They would never have to meet again, if only she was lucky enough to get her way…

She exited the room quickly and sped up her pace as she headed down to the stand-by room Sokka was in. She almost broke into a sprint, desperate to see him and congratulate him for his victory…

Sokka was cleaning his helmet from the ashes and sand when he heard someone walking into the room. He lifted his gaze and greeted Azula with a hand.

"How did you like my performance, Princess?" he asked, smirking slightly

"It was… amazing, unbelievable!" she said, unable to control the joy that was taking over her senses as she walked to him, beaming

"Okay… are you going to kiss me or something?" said Sokka, eyeing her with confusion. The doting way she was looking at him was somewhat terrifying.

Azula stopped on her tracks and stared at him in annoyance.

"Can't you ever think of anything else? Am I that appealing to you?"

"Hey! T-that's not… T-take that back!" he said, blushing slightly as he glared at her. Azula ignored his reaction, though, and tossed the bag of coins in his direction.

"There you have it… as I promised: your winnings" she said, still smiling despite his previous comment.

Sokka took the heavy bag in his hands and whistled in approval.

"I'm glad you're keeping to your word" he said "This is really heavy, though… this is the 75% you promised me, right? It's a lot more than I expected… well, seeing how much money you had on that bid I'm not surprised, really…"

"Actually… that's the 100%" said Azula, startling Sokka

"Huh?! WHAT?! W-why?!"

"You don't understand…" said Azula, pacing around the room while laughing slightly "What you pulled off out there, against the Spawn… it was beyond any of my expectations. You didn't even get hurt! Or… did you?"

"Nah, I'm fine" said Sokka, smirking proudly.

"And well… you already know why this battle meant so much for me" said Azula, smiling at him now "That you triumphed in it with such ease… it baffled me. I never thought you would win without any difficulties… I hoped you would win, but this is far beyond anything I had envisioned! So… I'm thankful, truly thankful, so much I don't know how to pay you back for what you did for me today… even giving you all the money doesn't seem to be enough of a reward…"

"Well, this is just an idea…" said Sokka, clearing his throat "… but since you seem to be feeling so generous and grateful, how about paying me the rest of your debt by taking me back to my tribe…?"

Azula's face turned into a frown and she glared at him.

"Oh, no. I'm not grateful enough to do that"

Sokka pouted in disapproval but sighed, knowing he hadn't been likely to get away with such proposal. Still, Azula seemed very pleased, which came off as a frightening sight.

"You can stop smiling so much, girl…" he said, putting the bag of money inside his helmet and carrying both things under his arm "It's freaking me out"

"I… I really can't" said Azula, giggling "You… you did it, Sokka. You gave me my life back"

"And now I have to go work my ass off in a hundred more fights to see if I can get mine back too" said Sokka, sighing "Oh, well. At least you won't be tossing me back into the Amateur League"

"I most certainly won't. You proved yourself, Sokka" she said "You are a good enough fighter to face professional gladiators with ease… you belong in the upper ring of this discipline, nobody should doubt that anymore"

Her recurrent use of his name sent a shiver down his spine. It gave him an oddly pleasing feeling to hear her say those two syllables that identified him…

"I'd rather not belong in any gladiator fights, to be honest" he growled "But whatever. I'll get to where I truly belong if I see this to the end. How many fights do you think it'll take me to get to the top of the ranking?"

"I'm not sure" said Azula "What matters is the points you earn, not the fights in itself… but it might take you over a thousand fights, I think"

"Over a thousand?!" he yelled, dismayed

"Don't worry, we have enough time to pull it off…" said Azula, shrugging "It's not as if you had to fight a thousand times in one year or so…"

"B-but… wait" said Sokka, lifting a hand in her direction "How about if I beat the top guy in the ranking? Wouldn't that make me superior to him and automatically turn me into the top fighter?"

"Uh… no" said Azula "You're supposed to get there through points only. Although if you're #2 and you kill the top fighter in a fight, you would become the first one automatically"

Sokka winced and rolled his eyes

"No way" he grunted "I'm not killing anyone else. Well, maybe I'll try to kill you if you keep suggesting I do things like that…"

"But I doubt you'll ever succeed on that" she said, smirking as she walked outside the room, and Sokka followed.

"Well, you did tell me how to beat you when we first met…" said Sokka, smiling "You mentioned something about a bomb that would get your firebending out of control…"

"Something like that would kill you before it gets me, believe me" said Azula, smirking. Sokka glared at her as they headed down the hallway, side by side.

"You're the worst, Azula"

**It was a lot shorter than my usual updates, but I think it works anyway ^^U Sorry for my absence, I'm guessing you were waiting for this fight… so I hope it was good enough for you all! I'll try to update sooner next time… no guarantees, though, sorry about that TTwTT next week might be as bad as this one… but I'll do my best to get back to writing at full-power again when this mess is done with, promised thing! Thanks for sticking by and thanks for bringing this story to 50 favorites with only 10 chapters in ^^ you guys are awesome! Thank you so much!**


	12. Chapter 12

The man from the counter was writing down the result of the most recent battle on the board when Azula and Sokka returned to the Arena's vestibule. He stared at them in awe when he identified them and he grinned nervously as the pairing approached him.

"You gave an astounding performance, or so I heard" said the man, bowing down to Azula "Congratulations on your first win, Princess"

"I appreciate the compliment but I really wasn't the one fighting" Azula declared, to Sokka's surprise

"Oh, of course not..." said the man, grinning at Sokka now "Well fought, gladiator"

Sokka nodded at him, although he could sense some hostility from him. It wasn't hard to imagine why: clearly, not many sponsors shared the glory of victory with their gladiators. It was likely that Azula's behavior towards him seemed completely absurd in the eyes of anyone involved in the gladiator business. In fact, not even Sokka himself could grasp why she was so considerate towards a slave, but he assumed she had merely acted in this manner to prompt him to fight to the best of his ability through positive reinforcement or something of the sort to ensure he would triumph against Chan's gladiator… but since that battle was over now, he guessed their odd relationship wasn't likely to remain as light-hearted as it had been up until now.

"I was told I could find out about my gladiator's new position in the ranking if I came to ask you about it" said Azula, as both she and Sokka looked around the vestibule.

The people in the room kept casting stares towards them, witnesses of the gladiator's amazing prowess just a few moments ago. They whispered to each other, and Sokka managed to overhear some of what they were saying.

"… he beat the Spawn, the Spawn!"

"It didn't even take him the full time span…"

"And he made it look like a piece of cake…"

Sokka couldn't help but smirk proudly as he folded his arms, turning again to the man behind the counter, who was busy making calculations to define Sokka's current spot in the ranking. After a few seconds of scrolling down the list of fighters he smiled broadly at the two of them and gave them the answer they had been waiting for.

"It's early to give out the definitive position he'll hold in the ranking just now, but so far it would seem he'll be the 419th. The final ranking for each week is displayed on Sunday. Sunday is a day free of combats precisely because it's a day destined to make all the pertinent calculations with the results of all the fights: you'll see his actual position then. But for now, judging by what I have here, he is the 419th, with a grand total of 267 points! You both should be very proud… not many gladiators attain so many points on their first match"

"It was the obvious outcome" said Azula, smirking with arrogance "Well then, I shall confirm the information you just gave me on Sunday at my local Arena. Make sure to deduct about two hundred points out of the Spawn's score…"

"O-oh, yes, I won't forget about it..." said the man, smiling with discomfort as Azula turned to leave, Sokka treading right behind her.

The eyes of every person in the room were fixated upon them as they exited the premises of the Arena, both with their heads held high, knowing rumors about Sokka would spread in less time than it had taken him to defeat of the Spawn of the Volcano.

Once they were outside, the Princess let out a sigh of relief and spread her arms wide open, happier than she had been in years. Sokka didn't stop eyeing her with discomfort as she let out a laugh of sheer joy.

"You're seriously freaking me out here..." Sokka muttered with a sing-song voice "Quit being so cheerful, it doesn't suit you at all"

"And you can stop being so stingy too" said Azula, still beaming "You just don't understand what this means to me... I can hold on to my freedom, to my life... People say that you don't appreciate what you have until you lose it. I differ: you learn to appreciate it when you're in risk of losing it"

"Well, good for you, you're free and happy now" said Sokka, bitterly "I bet that you want to celebrate your regained freedom by heading into town and eating little kids or something"

"Oh, no. Little kids have too many bones" was Azula's sassy reply, which froze Sokka on the spot

"I hope this only means your wit gets upgraded when you're pleased" he grunted as they continued walking into town "Because I'd be even more freaked out if you're saying that out of actual experience of eating children..."

"I'll leave that mystery to your imagination, then" she said, smirking "But seeing how your stomach is an endless pit I don't find surprising at all that your way to celebrate your great accomplishments is by eating. You should watch your weight; you'll end up looking like the Spawn if you eat too much"

"You mean my skin will turn grey?" asked Sokka

"If you eat too many Komodo Rhino products, you just might"

"Oh, please. People don't become what they eat, that's some urban tale nonsense" he said, rolling his eyes

"I hope you can tell me the same thing when you have reptile skin" she stated, her smirk growing wider

"Ha ha, very funny" he grunted

"You are in too bad a mood for what this big fight entailed. You should be a lot more cheerful"

"Well, sorry I can't join your parade" said Sokka "But while you've got your freedom back, I'm sentenced to spend ages fighting under your orders to earn mine. And since you don't have any reason to be nice to me anymore, I'm guessing the royal treatment is over for me"

Azula looked at him, surprised by his statement. Sokka merely held her stare with distrust, wondering how she'd contradict what he had just told her.

"You think... you think I treated you this way because I wanted to use you" said Azula, frowning

"Was I wrong?" he asked, even more wary than before

"Of course not" she said, shrugging and making him lose his stance out of surprise.

"THE HELL?!" Sokka yelled, irked. Azula let out a light laugh and turned to face him again

"I was using you, and I still am. I want you to become the top gladiator of the ranking, I mean it"

"Huh... you really want that so badly?" he asked, raising an eyebrow "Then... Can I still get away with eating as much as I do and with training with Piandao and with having my own cabin in your ship and with only seeing you when you have to drag me to fight?"

"Probably" replied Azula with a sigh of resignation after his crazy babbling.

"Great!" he yelled, beaming now with joy "Alright, now everything's better!"

Azula rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. Having her life back on track was an exhilarating feeling she wouldn't shake off for days, probably.

"Though..." he said, looking at her "If I think of it, this really should be celebrated. And since I'm in a better mood now, I'm all in for it!"

"Do I even have to ask what's on your mind?" Azula muttered, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. Sokka merely smiled at her and she knew her supposition had been dead-on.

Not too long afterwards, Sokka had dragged her all the way through the town to a fancy building with lanterns decorating it on the outside. Sokka beamed while Azula merely eyed the place without much interest, reading the sign above the door that indicated the building was a restaurant.

"This is the place you spotted earlier, isn't it?" she asked, still looking at the establishment

"I think so" he said, grinning even more "Do you think you can afford this?"

"I can't, I have no money on me" was Azula's reply "But you have the winnings from the fight, so you probably can... unless you eat the entire restaurant, which I wouldn't put past your bottomless stomach, really"

"Don't worry, I'll eat with moderation!" he promised, although she didn't quite believe him.

They entered the restaurant and Sokka stared at the decoration without much interest, only wondering where the food would be. A host dressed in an elegant white shirt walked up to them and smiled kindly

"Welcome to Xuan's Restaurant" he said bowing down.

"Uh... Right..." muttered Sokka, insecure of how to proceed. Azula sneered at him with disdain as she addressed the man.

"A table for two, please. You don't work on reservations, do you?"

"Oh, we do not, my lady" he replied, surprised to see a woman taking charge of the situation "Follow me, please..."

Sokka felt no shame at all when Azula spoke instead of him. He had no idea how to behave in fancy places, she was better off dealing with the pleasantries while he took charge of fighting against gladiators.

The host led them to a vacant table within the almost empty establishment and smiled, telling them that, if they needed anything, they should let him know. He left after writing up their order, which wasn't particularly complicated to convey to the cooks: Sokka asked them to cook them surprise dishes for four people. Naturally, he was to eat enough rations for three people while Azula would be more than satisfied with taking the remaining share.

"You should learn some manners" she told him once they were alone again "You can't barge into a restaurant and reply to a waiter by mumbling nonsense. If you want to pretend you're noble, you ought to behave in a noble manner too"

"Gee, sorry I didn't go to the Royal Institute of Manners like Your Highness did" he said, rolling his eyes "We don't do that kind of crap in the South Pole"

"Which is absolutely obvious by now" she said, rolling her eyes "The sole thing you ever learned in your Tribe was how to tear open the skull of sea monsters and how to perform ridiculous dances to the Moon God to ask him to send you fish, which you probably ate raw"

"Hey! Quit making it sound like we're uncivilized barbarians!" he said, frowning

"I'm not making it sound like it; I'm stating that you are, in fact, uncivilized barbarians. Did you think I called you snow savage just for the fun of it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow

"Well... yeah" he said, taken aback

"You're surprisingly naïve, then" she said, smirking cruelly

Sokka glared at her, his lips forming a comical pout.

"How nice of you, as usual" he grunted "If you're so well-mannered, then, at least you'll teach me how to deal with this stupid high society crap, won't you?"

"Oh, no" said Azula "You're a slave pretending to be a nobleman: if you want to head into restaurants and eat in the crude way you always do, it's your problem, not mine. If you behaved as the slave you are rather than aiming higher and you wouldn't have to ask me for any advice on how to proceed in situations like this one"

Sokka folded his arms, irritated

"Well, fine! If you ever go down to the South Pole I won't tell you how to abide by the traditions and you'll end up making a fool of yourself in front of the whole tribe and I'll be right there, in the first row, laughing as I watch you!"

"You might be surprised to hear, then, that I have no plans on ever heading down to your excuse for a village" said Azula, matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" asked Sokka, surprised "But you said… you said that if I get to the top of the ranking…"

"I'll let you return, yes" said Azula "But even if I gave you a lift, I wouldn't get off the ship. So you can quit basking in the dream of returning me the favor, you won't get a chance to do so"

Sokka groaned in annoyance but said nothing else for a while, unable to find the right words to contradict her. They sat quietly on their spot, both thinking about whatever crossed their minds for a while until a group of waiters dropped by, bringing a variety of dishes that left Sokka agape in admiration. Azula was perfectly used to such opulent meals, so she merely thanked the staff and told them to leave while Sokka dove into the food with enthusiasm, showcasing the ever perfect contrast between the savage and the princess.

"Oh, man…" said Sokka, patting his full belly with his hand as he beamed, when he was finally satisfied after eating everything they had been provided with "You Fire Nation people are horrible, but your food is damn amazing…"

"I'm amazed you can tell the difference between a proper dish and whatever pathetic meals you were served in the Water Tribe" said Azula, smirking "It seems you're a little more refined than I had taken you for"

"The food down at my Tribe was pretty amazing, mind yourself" he said, folding his arms "I won't deny this sort of Fire Nation grub is bound to become my predilection, but the food isn't enough to keep me here if I get a chance to escape this dreadful place"

"Dreadful?" Azula repeated, her eyebrows raising as she eyed him with curiosity, crossing her legs under the table "Did you pick the wrong word, by any chance, or is it you really think this place is dreadful?"

"Uh, yeah, I think your nation is awful" he said, glaring at her "I thought I'd made my point clear already, hadn't I?"

Azula huffed and looked at him in disbelief

"I understood you hated the Fire Nation back when we first met and when you were in Hui Yi, but I can't believe you're still clinging onto that ridiculous way of thinking after seeing the Royal Palace and spending almost an entire month with Piandao…"

"You think a month at his place has made me think differently of this nation?" asked Sokka "And then you say I'm the naïve one. A month of kindness doesn't scratch down a hundred years of murder and war"

"Oh, so you will never forgive the Fire Nation for the Hundred Year War" said Azula "Well, it doesn't really matter much anymore. You're merely bitter because we've won"

Sokka glared at her, indignant now.

"You can't mean that… you're ridiculous" he said, shaking his head "You think I'm mad over who wins or loses? A war isn't a game, Azula! It never has been! How can you act as if the people sacrificed in the frontlines and the civilians who got killed were meaningless?! You see, this is exactly what's wrong with you people! You're so sure you're superior that you don't have a shred of humanity in you anymore!"

"Oh, so that's the deal, you think we're heartless because we don't mourn over the casualties?" asked Azula

"Your people annihilated an entire race and I'm pretty sure that it doesn't keep you up at night" he stated, folding his arms across his chest "What's a better proof of heartless than that?"

"I don't believe you're kept up at night by any of the animals that got killed to give you the food you eat" said Azula, looking at the empty dishes "It's, basically, the same thing"

"Huh?! You're comparing humans to animals?!"

"Why not?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "Just what's so different about it, really? Animals, humans… they're both alive, they both get killed for the sake of those who believe to be in the right to rule"

"Oh, please! Why would the Fire Nation have any right to rule over the rest of the world?!"

"If you had a look at the rest of the world, you might find out… Oh, that's right, everything's pretty much Fire Nation already" she said smirking "Isn't that enough proof of our superiority?"

"That makes no sense!" said Sokka "Obliterating everyone else doesn't make you guys any better than the rest of the world! You don't even have any reasons to justify this war!"

"Oh, we do" said Azula "Fire Lord Sozin said the war was the way the Fire Nation was to share its greatness with the world…"

"That's bullshit" said Sokka, angrily

"It's not as much of a lie as you think it is" said Azula "The Fire Nation is growing, developing into something beyond what the other three nations could be. Our technologies, our prosperity… it outmatched the rest of the world. If we didn't fight to ensure our autonomy, the other nations would have tried to take over us"

"Oh, sure" said Sokka, skeptical "A group of pacifist monks were a threat to you, sure thing"

"That is merely a strategic move, Sokka" she replied "Sozin had several reasons to go after the Air Nomads first; one of them being that they were the easiest ones to take out"

"And you talk about this as if he'd done the logical thing…" said Sokka, gritting his teeth

"It was logical" said Azula, shrugging "You're opposed to the idea of genocide, of course, but it doesn't change that his way of looking at what had to be done was very systematic. It made sense"

"It's preposterous" grunted Sokka "Killing an entire race can't be justifiable just like that! He took advantage of them because he knew they wouldn't fight back"

"How convenient of you to say that" said Azula "Who's the one who fights in the Arena by taking advantage of his opponents?"

"I do that to survive! I have no other choice!" he yelled

"Well, then, I guess you can see it now" said Azula "Fighting in this manner isn't exclusive of the Fire Nation if you do it too"

"Don't you dare compare me to that sketchy grandfather of yours" he grunted, irked

"Pray tell what's the big difference between what he did and what you do" said Azula

"What's the difference between me and you Fire Nation scum?" he asked, getting more annoyed by the minute "That you guys are pure evil! You're nothing but evil!"

"Oh, and you're just evil on a smaller scale, is that it?" asked Azula, feeling a twinge of annoyance to hear him refer to her people as scum

"No! I'm not evil!" he yelled, striking the table with a fist "There's nothing good inside of any Fire Nation person I've met so far! You're all rotten to your core!"

Azula's eyes narrowed, unable to believe he was using such a ridiculous argument to counter her statements.

"I believe we already got to this point in a previous conversation, didn't we?" she grunted

"Yeah, we did, and you brushed it away by claiming you don't give a crap about evil and good. You know why you don't care? Because if you did, you'd have to face that you're doing it all wrong. You'd have to acknowledge what I just said, that you're rotten"

Azula let a slight chuckle shake her shoulders and she looked at him with contempt, their stares colliding with rage this time.

"And what is it that makes me so evil in your opinion? What have I done so that you think I'm some sort of demonic spirit?"

"You're really asking something so stupid?" Sokka inquired "The minute I saw you I could see it… those clothes, the way you carry yourself, the way you're merciless and selfish… you don't give a damn about anything but achieving your goals"

"Sure" said Azula "Yet I let you live in the South Pole. Why did I do that, if I'm so evil? I gave you a new life as my sponsored gladiator. If I'm as evil as you think me to be, why did I do such a thing?"

"You have an ulterior motive, you already said so" grunted Sokka "But I have no clue as of why you didn't kill me… though I doubt it was out of the kindness of your heart"

"Is it that difficult to believe there might be some good within me?" she asked, folding her arms

"Yeah, it is" he grunted

"I don't see your point, honestly. You say the Fire Nation is bad because we kill, that your people are better because they don't want to kill anyone… Yet I haven't killed a single man in my life. You've killed so many you can't even keep count anymore. And then you have the guts to say I'm the cruel one…"

It was clearly a low blow for Sokka to hear this. He gritted his teeth and glared at her with even more rage than before.

"How dare you…? You know…you may not have gotten your pretty hands stained with the blood of anyone else, you might just sit by and watch from the sidelines as I smash a man's skull into his head like I did in Hui Yi… but there's something that sets me apart from the likes of you: every single time I had to slay a man, I was filled with remorse and regret. I'm damn sure that if you've ever seen anyone die you only ever think 'good riddance' and walk away without shedding a tear"

"Oh, so now being good and being bad has something to do with being sensitive… I should've known" said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Don't patronize me" he growled "You know I'm right. And really, who were the ones to force me to kill all those gladiators? Who were the ones sitting in the stands, laughing as I slay a man who had given me half his meal the day before?! Yeah, your people! Fire Nation people! Why was I in that disgusting pit in the first place?! Because you bunch of deranged psychopaths created that irrational bullshit of gladiator fighting! What's more proof of evil than that?! You ENJOY watching people getting killed! You ravish in it!"

"I don't ravish in anything" grunted Azula, annoyed "I didn't even enjoy watching you kill that Dart guy, if telling you that is any use at this point. But the world is evolving, and you can't stop it from changing anymore. Good, evil… you can't be purely good nor purely evil, Sokka. Not even I am"

"Huh, that's what you'd love to think, isn't it?" he said, staring at her with derision "I highly doubt it…"

"You're truly ridiculous. At least keep an open mind, will you?" she asked "Else, what's the point of this whole discussion?"

"I never saw the point of it anyways" said Sokka, shrugging

"Quit being a moron and listen" she grunted "You want to be the good guy; you want to pretend you're pure-hearted, but you know what? You've got a dark side within yourself as well even if you don't want to acknowledge it. Deny it as you will, but it's true. You're going to pretend that, when you were a child, you didn't feel the push to pull off something that was out of bounds? Didn't you ever pull a prank on a sibling of yours?"

Sokka froze in his spot, trying not to reply to her questions but his head was already feeding him with images of the mean hoaxes he had pulled on Katara when they were kids…

"Doing something like that isn't good, is it? Yet by the look on your face I can tell you did. How do you want to excuse yourself? You want to act like you didn't know what you were doing, that you really don't have anything dark in your soul…?"

"I didn't" grunted Sokka "I was just a kid. I've grown out of that sort of stuff"

"I doubt you have" said Azula "Sokka… face it. You're not purely good. Nobody is"

"The Air Nomads were, yet your people obliterated them" he grunted

"And there we go again" said Azula, rolling her eyes "You want to know what I think? The Air Nomads weren't strong enough to survive in the world the Fire Nation has been seeking out to create for a hundred years now"

"Oh, that just makes the slaughter completely acceptable, doesn't it?" asked Sokka

"You're unbelievable" said Azula, her hands going to her hair "Have you ever studied up on the history of this world?"

"Just… a little bit" he admitted, glaring at her

"Well, here comes an inconvenient truth for you" she said, looking up at him "The Fire Nation isn't the only one to have executed a war. Your people, the Water Tribe, used to live all over the same territory with the Earth Kingdom about a thousand years ago or so and the Earth Kingdom folk forced your people to the Poles through one of the bloodiest wars you can imagine. The Earth Kingdom in itself was a chaos, they wouldn't accept an authoritarian figure and they were unable to settle down within a government regime until Avatar Kyoshi came around. Before she did, the Earth Kingdom people were killing each other and fighting over their territory… what nation is the cruelest one now, pray tell? At least the Fire Nation holds its own people in high regards… The Earth Kingdom people didn't even care about kinship or nationalities, they just fought out brutally for about five centuries until they finally settled down"

"Proving that others can be evil too doesn't turn you guys into anything better" Sokka stated "Besides, the Fire Nation killed an entire race… the others didn't"

"You just don't know anything from before the Hundred Year War, do you?" asked Azula, exasperated now "Do you truly believe that everything has always been the way you were told, four elements and four nations? Well, forgive me for bursting your bubble, but you're wrong. There used to be benders of so many kinds you would be surprised to hear about it. Soundbenders, lightbenders, woodbenders, even energybenders… and where are they now? Nowhere to be found but in scrolls about ancient history. You believe the Fire Nation is the only one to take down an entire culture? Check your facts again, will you? This world used to be far more diverse than you think it was"

"That's ridiculous" grunted Sokka "I've never heard of that sort of stuff before. You're making it up"

"That's exactly what those who are wrong say: they deny the truth because accepting it renders them helpless" said Azula

"Well, then, how come is it that the Avatar bends four elements?" he grunted "I've never heard of a lightbending Avatar… it's only ever been the four nations, it's never been anything other than that"

"Suit yourself if you refuse believe me" said Azula "But the Avatar was only a figure born after the other bending arts began to fade away. To keep balance between the four remaining elements, to avoid having a nation walk all over another one, that was the Avatar's role"

"And then the Fire Nation wouldn't stay put in their island range, they had to go take over the entire world" Sokka said "What a nice way to help the balance of the world…"

"Ironically, though, there is no longer an Avatar" said Azula, frowning "There hasn't been one for a hundred years. Fire Lord Sozin killed the Air Nomads hoping to take out the Avatar too and nullify his threat, but he still should have been reborn within either the Northern or the Southern Water Tribe if the cycle had begun anew. It's been a hundred years, Sokka. After all this time, there is no Avatar. Why do you think that is?"

Sokka didn't reply, he merely glared at her, guessing what she was getting at

"The world no longer needs the balance between the elements" she stated "The time of the Avatar is over. The world is changing, the Fire Nation is moving forward and if the other nations can't keep up, they'll be destroyed, the way the Air Nomads were, or they'll be incorporated into it, like the Earth Kingdom was"

"It doesn't make it less wrong" said Sokka "The world isn't changing, you guys are changing the world through your own means, and you had no right to do that. Sozin was afraid that the other nations would take over the Fire Nation? Give me a break. That's a ridiculous excuse, just like everything you've said so far"

Azula rolled her eyes and sighed, completely disappointed in the man in front of her.

"Clearly, you refuse to see reason"

"I could say the same right back at you"

"There's no point in continuing with this argument, really. You're too thick headed to get anything I'm saying"

"And you're too naïve to realize you're reasons are ridiculous" said Sokka "If the Water Tribe had tried to take over the rest of the world, you'd be sitting where I am now and I'd be where you are, and we'd likely say the same things back and forth with no useful outcome, though I'd probably never be as gullible as to think that my people is doing a good thing by destroying other nations"

"I have said it time and time again…" she muttered "There's no point in seeing this as good or bad. Seeing everything under that light will only ever hold you back from achieving everything you wish to fulfill"

"Right" said Sokka, rolling his eyes "Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. Let's get going already, or else I'll throw up after this stupid conversation"

"I hope you get food poisoning" she mumbled under her breath as she stood up from the table.

Every person in the restaurant was eyeing them with discomfort as Sokka headed to the counter with the bag of money. He was appalled to hear his meals would cost him thirty six thousand yuans, but he paid up anyway and followed Azula outside.

It was already dusk when they headed down to the port. The Captain of the Royal Guard was pleased to see them returning, but he was surprised by the angry expressions in their faces, which made him assume the worst had happened.

"Uh… Princess?" he asked, as she climbed aboard and looked for the man in charge of the vessel

"We are leaving now" she declared "Set the course for Shu Jing, Captain"

The ship's captain bowed down to her and ran to the machinery room to follow his Princess's command. The Royal Guard's Captain turned to Sokka and stopped him, grasping his shoulder to do so.

"You… you didn't lose, did you? Because if you had…"

"No, I… well, I won in the Arena" he muttered "But I don't think I did when it came to her…"

"Huh?" said the guy, but Sokka got rid of his hand and kept walking, puzzling the man even further.

This time he was the one left gazing at Azula when she turned towards her room. He glared at her back, wondering if she truly believed all the things she'd just told him… how could she truly believe the Fire Nation's ways were right? It was preposterous that she'd pretend to justify their behavior… but for some reason, most her words had made some sense after all. If she was right about there being other types of bending nations who had gotten taken down by the remaining ones… he didn't even want to think about it. He headed to his room and tried to get some sleep and to get her piercing words out of his mind.

Azula locked herself up in her cabin and lay down on her bed as she tried to calm herself down. She had always been told the very same words she had used on Sokka: that her people were doing what had to be done, they were protecting themselves and making sure the world would be led to progress, because the four nation division was going to crumble down eventually and only the strongest nation would survive… but he was right. The slaughter was unnecessary; the gladiator fights were proof that they were being irrational… the regret he had spoken of was something she didn't have. Was it the one thing she needed to become human, then? Her mother had once called her a monster… had she done it because of her lack of regret? Was it that her mother had thought in the same way Sokka did, and she hated the way the Fire Nation was taking over everything because she believed it to be inhumane…?

Well, who needed to be humane anyway? The Fire Nation didn't, most certainly. They had cast away all weaknesses, and they would triumph over every obstacle in their way… bothering with nonsense about being ethical and righteous were excuses for the weak. The strong ones didn't need to feed on such ridiculous lies to stand up for themselves. Azula calmed herself down with these thoughts and closed her eyes, not really falling asleep as the ship began moving, starting back on its route towards Piandao's home.

A day and a half passed by again, but this time, Azula and Sokka avoided each other. After that discussion they had come to realize that whatever camaraderie they had developed had only ever been superficial: they were only ever meant to be sponsor and gladiator, to aspire for any sort of reliability beyond that had been foolish from both of them.

Azula spent most her spare time training on the main deck, Sokka simply stayed in his room, only leaving it to get something to eat, but even his insatiable appetite had been affected by the huge fallout between them. All he could do was wonder if all those excuses she had given out were valid, were to be registered in history as the way the world had to evolve… it sickened him to think so.

After breakfast on the second day, thanks to favorable tides, they were already at Shu Jing. Sokka wasn't even sure if he wanted to get back to Piandao: his heart was in such disarray that he feared he wouldn't perform up to his usual standard and he would disappoint his master because of it. Still, he wanted to be as far from Azula as possible, so returning to the place he had called home for a month was an idea he welcomed with open arms.

He headed to the main deck and walked towards the ramp, trying his best to ignore the presence of the Princess, who was sitting in the throne-like chair of hers. Azula's eyes didn't leave the figure of her gladiator, although she wasn't particularly comfortable with the situation either. She had come to the obvious conclusion: they would never understand each other, so it would be better to forget all about politics and wars and simply focus on the issue at hand: training Sokka into becoming the best gladiator and allowing him to climb all the way to the first position of the ranking. Once that was done, she could drop him off in his barren and frozen wasteland and forget about him and about all the things he had told her before.

She stood up when they anchored at the shore and Sokka headed down the ramp immediately, only turning around once he was in solid ground again. He looked at her warily, as if staring directly at an enemy, since that's what she had become in his eyes again.

"You're not tagging along this time?" he asked, hoping she'd say she wouldn't. It was too uncomfortable to be near her.

"There's no need for me to go" she replied curtly "You can make your way to Piandao on your own, can't you?"

"Sure I can" said Sokka, staring at her sideways "See you, then"

"I will return in about a month's time, when I've issued out a challenge for your next fight" said Azula "Make sure you're ready to face a new opponent by then"

"Got it" said Sokka "Do us both a favor and choose a non-bender from the bottom half of the ranking this time, can you?"

"Fine" she said, sighing

"See you, then" he said, lifting a hand in a very disheartened wave as he walked away through the marked pathway, headed towards the town of Shu Jing.

Azula watched him go, feeling uneasy as she did. It was probably because of that terrible spat that somehow she felt that, as he walked away from her, he was taking with him something she hadn't known she would miss if she lost it… though she had no idea what she was losing in the first place. She rolled her eyes at the ridiculous thoughts her subconscious was sending her way, and she ordered the barge's captain to head back to the mainland right away, before her mind tried to pull more tricks on her.


	13. Chapter 13

Admiral Chan was most surprised to receive a summons by the Fire Lord while spending a nice and comfortable break in the Fire Nation resort at the north of the former Earth Kingdom. He had headed back to the Fire Nation mainland feeling quite displeased, but in hopes that Ozai had called him to offer him a raise or a promotion. It wasn't until he crossed the threshold of the Fire Lord's Throne Room, after an entire week of traveling to get to the Capital, that he began to understand what the purpose of this meeting was.

Sitting behind his magnificent curtain of fire, the leader of the Fire Nation welcomed him with a glare that Chan took as a bad omen. A figure sat at Ozai's right, the light emitted by the flames revealed her to be the Princess.

"Fire Lord Ozai" said Chan, bowing down "You requested my presence?"

"I did, Admiral Chan" said Ozai "There a matter of utmost importance that we need to discuss"

"What may that be, my Lord?" asked Chan, trying to conceal the fear in his voice. If Azula was involved, this could be anything but good…

"The matter of my daughter's engagement to your son" said Ozai. Azula's face broke into a small grin when she saw the look of confusion in Chan's face as he looked up to the Fire Lord "My daughter conveyed to me that she did not approve nor support her union to your son and requested an opportunity to prove he was not worthy of marrying her. And she has succeeded in convincing me that your child is truly not suitable to take mine as his wife"

"W-what?!" squealed Chan "T-that's absurd! How could she prove anything...?!"

"I went out of my way to sponsor a gladiator" said Azula, not caring if she was interrupting the admiral "A non-bender, who had never fought against a man in the Superior Gladiator League. I managed to defeat your son while sponsoring such a novice fighter… You should be ashamed of him"

"WHAT?!" yelled Chan "N-no... my son has the best gladiator in Ember Island! You couldn't have defeated him with a rookie!"

"Yet I did" stated Azula, defying Chan with her glare

"Yes, she did" said Ozai "And if she can overcome your son so easily, despite he has been involved in this business for years and she is but a newcomer, she has proved him to be incompetent and unsuitable to marry her. He is, most definitely, not up to her standard"

Chan was left to stare at Ozai, his mouth wide open as he tried to figure out what had just happened. His gateway to an easy life had suddenly shut off on him because of some gladiator fight he hadn't even been informed of… it didn't make any sense to him, but apparently it did to Ozai. What was he going to do now? Was he supposed to let his family's chance to gain high honors vanish in thin air just like this?

"My lord, don't you believe this to be a rushed decision?" he asked nervously "It took us a long time to settle down this arrangement… isn't it a waste to throw it away now, just like this…?"

"It does make me a little remorseful to see that all our meetings were to no avail, but my daughter has already proved your son's incompetence."

"Also, Admiral Chan, I believe your son will be pleased to discover our engagement has been called off" Azula said "I'm afraid that meeting me face to face has made him fear me far more than a husband should fear his wife. The only person who refuses to let this arrangement die out is you... and regrettably for you, Admiral, you don't have the last say in this matter"

"Indeed, she is right" said Ozai "You will have to come up with a new method for me to repay you for your deeds down at the South Pole. Meanwhile, inform your son that he will not marry my daughter"

Chan's eyes grew wide with despair. This couldn't be happening...

"Uh... Father" added Azula, looking slightly mischievous all of sudden "I don't understand the nature of your bargain with the Admiral. What deed did he perform to have you pay something back to him?"

Ozai's brow contracted at his daughter's question.

"You are well aware of that, aren't you, Azula? The Admiral saved your life and our settlement down at the South Pole two years ago"

Azula looked puzzled and she rubbed her chin with her thumb at her father's words. Chan began sweating, realizing what was at stake here... the Princess had never been known for her kindness. That she had allowed him to get away with his lies didn't mean she wouldn't get back at him some day...

"I don't believe you were informed correctly of the events, father" she said "I don't know what you were told, but Admiral Chan cowered under a table along with the rest of the military leaders while I set out to take care of the threat myself. Why do you believe I took a detour to drop the slave at Hui Yi? If Chan had been the one to defeat him, he would have been the one carrying the slave around, not me"

Ozai's frown grew even more pronounced as he realized his daughter's words made sense. He eyed Chan with disdain and fury before addressing Azula again.

"If this is what truly happened, why are you only speaking out now, Azula?"

"I was under the impression that the high ranked men in the army were trustworthy and honorable" said Azula "I never thought the Admiral would have lied in such a shameful manner... I was certain that whatever favor you were rewarding him with had nothing to do with the South Pole, since his performance there was as shameful as it was"

"Is this true, Admiral Chan?" growled Ozai, the flames that decorated the room flickered with his anger.

"O-of course not, my lord!" Chan squealed, terrified

"Oh? You're accusing me of lying, then?" inquired Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-you have no proof!" yelled the man

"Don't raise your voice to my daughter, Admiral Chan" Ozai commanded, enraged "I believe in her word far more than I would ever believe in yours"

"Don't worry, father, there's no need to grow troubled over this. Despite what he says, I, in fact, have ways to prove that my words are true. There are many witnesses of what happened at the South Pole. I'm fairly certain General Buijing will be most cooperative if he's asked over Admiral Chan's behavior during the attack to the settlement"

Chan's face grew pale. Buijing would tell the truth, sticking to Azula's side of the story. They had never been on good terms, he wouldn't hesitate to support Azula if it meant tearing Chan down.

"And Buijing isn't my only means of proof anyway" said Azula "Did I tell you about my gladiator, father?"

"No, you haven't spoken much about him" said Ozai, curious.

"He is the very man who had been leading the Water Tribe's resistance, the one I forced to become a slave" she said "I defeated him with a firebent fist to his stomach, and I'm fairly certain the burn mark must still be there. If you truly want to question who the one to bring him and his entire movement down was, then I guess we could compare the size of the fist on my gladiator's skin with both my hand and Admiral Chan's. You'll stop thinking I'm lying then, I'm certain of that."

Ozai looked at Chan angrily, the fire of the room grew dramatically in size and strength as the Fire Lord allowed his fury to fuel the flames.

"You deceived me, Admiral Chan. You lied to the Fire Lord you had sworn eternal loyalty to..."

"No, no, my lord!" Chan mumbled "I did it because I had to!"

"You cowardly fool!" yelled Ozai "You will pay for this treason... You will be stripped off your titles and properties! You are not worthy of your position, just as that low-life son of yours wasn't worthy of my daughter! Make sure you remember this for the remnants of your life, Chan: nobody lies to the Fire Lord and goes unpunished! I should have your head for this... you'd better be thankful for my mercy."

"I am, my lord... I'm so sorry..." he whined, tears threatening to slip out of his eyes

"Now get out of my sight if you know what's good for you!" he yelled, and Chan crawled away with his head down, ashamed of what he had done for the sole sake of earning more glory and fame.

Ozai looked at his daughter sideways before smiling at her.

"What a wise move, Azula" he said "You knew better than to speak of what had happened before holding the proper proof to bring him down. Well done. You will make a great Fire Lord when your time comes"

Azula smiled and bowed down at the Fire Lord as the flames diminished in size: he was beaming in pride towards his daughter now.

"Thank you, father"

A few minutes later, Azula walked through the halls of the Palace while trying to taste the joy of finally being free of both Admiral Chan and his son, but something kept dragging her down, and even if she would refuse to admit it out loud, she was perfectly aware of what it was.

Just mentioning him on that meeting had twisted her innards. She still couldn't forget the way they had argued, how he had declared the Fire Nation people to be heartless and cruel. Were they really as bad as he claimed them to be? She was horrified to realize he had been right when he claimed she was avoiding the issue of what was wrong or right because, once she took those notions into account while thinking of the Fire Nation's actions, she would have to face how much her people had damaged the world. Sure, they had become prosperous and powerful, but at the expenses of wrecking the other three nations. And justifying what they were doing because other nations had done it before them in other eras still wouldn't justify their actions.

Azula gritted her teeth as she came to acknowledge these realizations. She wasn't supposed to question her nation, she was meant to rule it in the way her father had done before her, and the way his father had before him.

But when she walked by a frame that held the world map, she found herself frowning and returning on her tracks to take a better look. It was the same territory she had studied to gain a better knowledge of the world she lived in, the same mountains, deserts, rivers and oceans. The sole thing that had changed were the colors decorating the land: almost the entire map was red. The whole Earth Kingdom continent, the Air Nomads's islands... they had been claimed as Fire Nation territory now.

Azula frowned as she thought about it. Little sense did it make to think that the Earth Kingdom's arid territory belonged to the Fire Nation, that the steep and mysterious mountains of the Air Nomads were now theirs, too. How could they put their banner over such terrains? There was nothing about them to give Azula a sense of belonging, of patriotism. She actually knew nothing about those terrains and she didn't want to know either. Even after all this time, after all those words she had told Sokka, she couldn't think of the Earth Kingdom belonging to the Fire Nation. It was completely wrong: both cultures were completely different; forcing one upon the other was completely ridiculous.

And then she remembered those scrolls of ancient history again. Those wars that had been waged between benders of different kinds... the outcome to those conflicts had been the better one, since each one of the Four Nations had obtained the territory most suitable for them. But surely, at some point in time, the division wasn't even necessary... a long time ago, benders of all kinds had found a way to coexist before someone similar to the current Fire Nation had, out of spite, paranoia or disdain, decided to set himself and his kind apart from those who were different.

Slowly she allowed her eyes to grow out of focus: the image dimmed, the colors were no longer as strong and they morphed into different shades. Now the territories weren't distinguished by their color, they were one and the same even when they were different too. The world was truly diverse, but everything had been able to coexist harmoniously… surely, everything had been peaceful before humanity came to divide the land in region. Oh, humans were such fools indeed… it was likely that if any deities existed in this world they would be laughing at them, pitying those lowly men who were playing at being gods…

"Azula?" spoke a familiar voice, bringing the Princess out of her trance with a start.

Ty Lee and Mai stood at the end of the hallway, looking at her with curiosity.

"What are you doing there?" asked Ty Lee, beaming as Azula walked towards them.

"Nothing in particular" replied Azula, doing her best to conceal that the very basis of her identity had just fallen apart because she had let Sokka's words get to the best of her…

Neither one of the girls seemed to believe her, but they decided to cast the subject aside if only for a moment

"So… we heard you won!" said Ty Lee, cheerfully "How did it go? Tell us!"

"Oh, right" said Azula "It wasn't a very troublesome fight, in fact it was anything but troublesome. Anyhow, I got rid of Chan and I also made sure his useless father would finally understand that he should not underestimate me."

"That's… great?" asked Ty Lee, half smiling as she eyed Azula with concern

"What's the matter?" asked Azula, surprised at the strange expression in her friend's face "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What you just said…" muttered Mai "It's supposed to be a good thing, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is" said Azula, now turning to her other friend

"Then why aren't you happy about it?" asked Mai "I don't expect you to go all Ty Lee about it…"

"HEY!"

"… But I've known you for a long time, and that's definitely not the way you look when you've just gotten your way" said Mai "What happened to you?"

Azula had always thought Mai's sharp mind was impressive, but she hated it when she used those observation powers on her.

"How about you start finding a new subject to interrogate and you leave me be for a while, Mai?" asked Azula, walking off in hopes the girl would take the hint.

"Mai's not the only one who can notice you're acting weird, you know?" said Ty Lee, as they both followed the Princess "I know you well enough too to realize there's something wrong"

"Well, it's none of your business anyway, so there's no point in prying since I'm not going to say a…"

"It's him, isn't it?" asked Mai, making Azula stumble on her own feet "Your gladiator. He did something to you, didn't he?"

Azula stopped on her tracks and turned around just to give Mai an enraged glare.

"I said it was none of your business…"

"It is him, then" said Mai, crossing her arms as she looked at the roof in quite a careless manner.

"Did he do something to you?!" asked Ty Lee, worried "Because if he did, I'll teach him a lesson or two!"

"As if I couldn't do such a thing myself" said Azula, rolling her eyes "He didn't do anything, damn it… and I don't want to talk about it anyway"

"We're going to keep asking until you say something useful, so even if you don't want to say all the details, you can at least sum it up somehow…" said Mai, shrugging.

Azula glared at her and rolled her eyes before huffing in annoyance.

"It's not really half as complicated as you think. I just… I realized I was being a fool by misunderstanding what the situation between us was"

"Huh? W-what did you take it for?" asked Ty Lee, her eyes growing wide

"I don't know" said Azula, truthfully "But I was stupid to make that mistake. He and I… there's no way we'll ever understand each other. And why should I even bother trying to understand him, anyway? I'm only using him, and he's only using me too. Getting involved in this in any other way is only going to cause me the kind of trouble I'm better off avoiding"

"Um… what form of involvement are we talking about exactly…?" asked Ty Lee again, confused

"I… I don't even know, really" said Azula "I was naïve and I forgot he was just a slave while I was a Princess. There was some sort of… respect between us, or so I thought. And then, just as quickly as it came, it was gone again"

"Huh" said Mai, thoughtful "I'm surprised it upsets you that much"

"It doesn't, really" muttered Azula "I'm just bothered by some of the things he said, not over how our relationship, or whatever that was, fell apart. I guess I did need an eye-opener. He really is just my gladiator, he was never meant to become anything other than that. I was a fool to forget that"

"Gee, that sounds so sad" said Ty Lee "Oh, well… then, if you're really only using him for fights, am I allowed to start something with him…?"

Azula glared at her in visible irritation.

"I think we already discussed that, didn't we? I'm not letting him get distracted. He's only around to fight, nothing more. If you want a boy-toy, find someone else for the job"

"You're always so stern, Azula" said Ty Lee, sighing "Well, fine! I'll find my own if it bothers you that much! But make sure to let me know if you change your mind, okay?"

"Why do you even want him so badly?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes

"Why do I want him? Have you taken a good look at him?" asked Ty Lee, blushing slightly as she giggled, picturing him in her head "I'm so sure he must be amazing in bed…"

The comment made Mai stare at her in surprise at her intrepid assertion while Azula's eyes went wide in shock, wondering how the hell Ty Lee would know anything of the sort.

"Ty Lee!" she said "What's the matter with you?!"

"Oh, come on! You know I'm right!" she said, folding her arms stubbornly

Azula didn't know for real how Ty Lee could have known if her gladiator had any skills in bed; she had no clue if he really was any use in it or not, since it didn't matter much if he was or wasn't. Still, she found herself thinking of the memory of how he had performed that somersault: the way his muscles had contracted, the way he had shown such flexibility and strength… She was blushing before she knew it, as she started to believe in Ty Lee's words. That annoying girl… she had been the one to make her notice the man was attractive in the first place and now she was making her think about his potential in a sexual scenario?!

"UGH!" she said, irked at both Ty Lee and her mind for giving her such scandalous thoughts.

The Princess stormed off, still followed by both Mai and Ty Lee, the former just glaring at the latter with disapproval. Still, for Azula's wellbeing, they decided to stay off the subject of her gladiator for the rest of the day, something that Azula was grateful for despite she was unable to stop thinking about him anyway…

Piandao was drinking his tea quietly as he watched his student practicing his moves. He had noticed there was something off about Sokka for a few days now; his mind was troubled for reasons Piandao didn't understand, but he could ascertain that whatever was bothering Sokka was taking a toll on his performance as a warrior as well.

"Like a turtle without its shell, a powerful swordsman can become weak if his mind is clouded by worries and troubles, Sokka" said the man "What predicament is bothering you?"

Sokka stared at him in surprise at first, then he sighed as he lowered his sword.

"I... I've been acting weird, haven't I?"

"There's still food in my kitchen six days after your arrival. If that hadn't been clear enough a clue, watching you now has dissipated all my doubts. What troubles you?" he asked again, taking a sip from his tea.

Sokka looked up at him and sighed, afraid to tell Piandao about his argument with the Princess. He had claimed that all Fire Nation people were evil... he had forgotten Piandao was Fire Nation, too. Many times he had said Piandao was the greatest man he had ever met, but now he began wondering if he had made a mistake at either judging the people from the Fire Nation or at judging his master.

"Sit by me and have some tea" Piandao said, offering him a cup of tea "It will make you feel better"

Sokka didn't understand how drinking a hot beverage would improve his state of mind, but he obeyed his master regardless his doubts. And before he knew it, he was telling the older man all about his discussion with the Princess right after his triumph at the Arena.

"... So she dropped me off here and I guess she was pretty upset too when she realized I can't stand for all the crap the Fire Nation has done, the crap she has done. But the things she said... they were really unsettling. I have no clue if she actually believes every word she said or if she only says that sort of stuff because that's what's expected from her, since she's the Princess…"

"She most likely believes it" said Piandao "Most Fire Nation people believe those arguments to be valid excuses for their behavior"

Sokka grimaced and looked at him sideways as he sipped his cup of tea

"Then... do you believe it?"

"Of course not"

Relief washed over Sokka as he sighed, feeling the world still made some sense despite all the latest happenings

"I'm so glad..." he said, smiling "But... how come you don't believe it? Why don't you?"

"It was part of my inner journey to become a better swordsman, you might say" muttered Piandao "I began thinking about what the purpose of fighting in the war was. Why was I killing all those people, why was I following the orders of a regime that I didn't agree with? It was completely absurd for me to do it; there was nothing to oblige me to stick to the Fire Nation's ways if I didn't agree with them"

"So… you didn't feel any duty to your country or anything of the sort?" asked Sokka, surprised

"I did" said Piandao "I belong in my nation, which is why I live here and I strive to teach other Fire Nation people the true way of the sword. Those who learn through my teachings have their own view on the world and they don't accept the doctrines of the Fire Nation without giving them proper thought first"

"And that's why you left the army, then?" asked Sokka

"Yes. Regrettably, there's very little a man like me can do to change the world. I'm not growing any younger, and my attempts to turn the Fire Nation to the right path failed poorly. The very least I can do is hope that my students will succeed if they try to make this world a better place"

"Huh…" said Sokka "You expect me to try to change this world?"

"Why not?"

"Uh, sir… I may be close to someone who holds a great deal of power, but I'm just a slave to her" said Sokka "And even if I tried to talk her out of her delirium, she'd still think she's superior to everyone because she's the Fire Lord's daughter. Honestly, I don't think I'll ever be able to reason with her… the worst part is that I'm afraid I'll end up believing her nonsense someday…"

"Sokka, a swordsman who knows who he is can change the course of a fight, and by changing one fight, he can change an entire war. Do not doubt yourself; don't let her words turn you into someone you won't be able to recognize in the future. You are who you are, Sokka, and even if it's good to hear to what others have to say, you must make sure you don't lose sight of your true self as you listen to them"

"You mean… I should listen to her while staying true to who I am?" asked Sokka, taken by surprise

"A wise man is the one who is willing to listen to the opinions of others and build his own upon what he has discovered now. A fool would be stuck in his own belief, never caring for what others have to say"

"Well, I'm afraid she's a fool, then" said Sokka, shrugging

"I don't believe so" said Piandao "The Princess is cunning and highly intelligent; it would do you good not to underestimate her even if you're angry at her. She's likely to take in only what makes her stronger, though, so you will have a hard time trying to make her see that the world we live in has been soiled with malice, greed and power. Regardless, Sokka, you mustn't take this fight to be lost just yet. I'm certain Princess Azula has a sharp mind; she's not as thick-headed as she would seem to be. Be strong, and if you feel you're about to lose yourself remember this conversation and remember the man you truly are."

Sokka smiled and nodded positively. He had no idea if Piandao was right about Azula, but he hoped he would be. Maybe he held the only chance to change the Fire Nation… and the way to do turn everything around would be to help Azula realize that the world needed to change, that she was the only one who could turn everything to the better because she held more power than anyone else, of course, since she was the Fire Lord's daughter. Sokka finished drinking his tea feeling a lot better about himself and more certain of the future ahead of him, no longer dreading the day he would meet the Princess again.

"So… he's 420, then?" asked Azula, as she scanned the list that comprised the Gladiator Ranking with interest.

"Yeah, I'm amazed!" said Shoji "I think it's the first time ever that someone rises so high with his first fight! You really picked the best fighter!"

"I wonder about that" was Azula's reply as she kept scanning the scroll.

She had taken almost two weeks to get her mind purged out of Sokka's words, out of the strange trance she had gone through while staring at the world map. She had to focus on what was truly important, and that was the scroll in her hand. She had to pick a new opponent for her gladiator, and she would select one right away… if she managed to find an interesting gladiator name on the sheet of paper she was holding.

"Well… are you going to issue out a new challenge?" asked Shoji, raising an eyebrow

"Yes, but I'm not sure of who should I challenge" said Azula, sighing "It would be a lot easier if others were the ones to challenge me. I know nothing about these fighters…"

"I do, though" said Shoji, grinning "I can help you choose your opponent if you want"

Azula looked at him with slight uncertainty, still holding the paper in her hand as she wondered if the boy could help her at all.

"Well, then… point me at any good fighter in the lower half of the ranking" said Azula

"Oh, sure!" said Shoji, smiling as he took the scroll, and after scanning it quickly he pointed at number 264 "If you want a good challenge, you can go for The Lady of Laogai, she's one tough firebender! Or if you want something that probably won't be so difficult you can fight The Emerald Rockman, he's not that strong even when he's an earthbender…"

"W-wait" said Azula, recalling the entirety of Sokka's request now "It's better if you suggest non-benders"

"Oh, non-benders?" said the boy "That's okay! Non-benders it is! The Butterfly Lady is pretty easy to beat, apparently, even if she's quite dangerous… she's 324, so she's not that high, really. You can also fight The Harvester, he has this horrible scythe but he's a good challenge if that's what you're looking for"

Azula frowned at those words, thinking both options were ridiculous to say the least. Shoji took the hint and continued looking at the scroll, searching for something better, although Azula began thinking he would fail at it. She was starting to consider ignoring Sokka's request and tell Shoji to challenge the firebender he had mentioned earlier when a fat bald man approached the counter.

"Shoji, my boy! What news have you got for me?" he asked, grinning

"Oh, sorry, Mr. Hosang" said Shoji "You haven't received any challenges this time"

"What, not even one?!" asked the man, his squeaky voice annoying Azula a little "Bleh, that's so boring… where's my Hornet at right now?"

"Let me check…" said Shoji "The Hornet is, at the time, in the position 382. Do you wish to send out a new challenge?"

"Is there anyone good out there to fight…?" said Hosang, sighing.

He suddenly realized Azula was staring at him. As usual, her golden hairpiece was an instant giveaway of her identity, and the man's face was contorted with surprise as he remembered the rumors he had been hearing about

"Could it be…?" he said, his surprise turning into a grin "The Princess is truly sponsoring a gladiator?!"

"Yes, she is" said Shoji, smiling

"And you are…?" asked Azula, raising an inquisitive eyebrow

"Oh, where are my manners?" he said, smiling "I'm Hosang, a goods' merchant from Fire Fountain City! I moved here only a few years ago, and I sponsor The Red Striped-Hornet"

"The Red-Striped Hornet is a non-bender, by the way" said Shoji, grinning "Hosang's gladiator might just be what you were looking for, Princess"

Azula looked at the raking again and scanned it for the data of the Hornet with a quick look. Thirty-seven wins, eight losses… and a total of six hundred and forty-four points. She would give Sokka 119 points if he was to triumph…

"Indeed" said Azula, staring at Hosang again "How would you feel, then, about having your gladiator fight mine?"

Hosang's mouth fell open and he looked terrified. He had never thought he would have the chance to even speak with the Fire Nation Princess, let alone to have his Hornet fight her gladiator…

"I… I'm not so sure, Princess…"

"No need to be shy, there's nothing to be afraid of" said Azula "My gladiator has only fought once so far, you have nothing to fear from him"

"W-what type of bender is he?" asked Hosang, still scared

"A non-bender, actually" said Azula "He is quite strong, but I'm certain your fighter is good enough to give him a proper match if these numbers are accurate. Thirty-seven wins and only eight losses show your gladiator must be quite a worthy opponent"

"I… I hope so, yes" said Hosang "You have only fought once, then? Well, I did hear a few rumors about how that fight went… he even had spare time, didn't he?"

"Oh, yes. But his rival wasn't truly as deadly as he seemed when faced against someone with a keen intellect" said Azula, shrugging "Anyway… shall we do this, then? Your Hornet against my Wolf?"

Hosang looked worried, afraid of what the consequences would be if his fighter defeated the Princess's… but then again, even if she was the Fire Lord's daughter the judges would play fair, wouldn't they? She couldn't just get away with triumphing only because of her position in society… if her fame was accurate, she was the type to take matters into her hands and solve all her problems out of her skill alone. Nobody understood why she behaved like this, all they knew was that she did. So… would she take kindly to losing against him…? Surely not, but she would be able to accept the result of the battle, wouldn't she?

He smiled shakily and nodded after pondering the situation.

"Yes, I think this challenge is a good idea" he declared "Although it makes me nervous to fight the Princess…"

"Oh, don't worry, you're not going to fight me" said Azula, smiling "If you were, your concern would be justified. Your gladiator will be fighting mine, which is an entirely different thing. So I suggest you sit back and enjoy the show. The best fighter will win, surely"

"Right" said Hosang, grinning "Well then… what shall be the terms of the combat?"

Shoji wrote every word down as they settled the arrangement: since they both lived in the Capital the fight would take place in this very Arena. Shoji grinned as he read the information he had just scribbled on the Arena's journal, fixing the fight's date in two week's time. He looked at that name, The Blue Wolf, and realized he had been waiting eagerly for the day when he would finally meet the warrior the Princess had considered worthy of sponsoring, and said day would arrive shortly…

**And so you have it xD I'm writing this note this time to let you guys know that I survived the hellish college weeks, thanks for all the good wishes ^^ they came in handy! ^^ And there's also something else I wanted to tell you about, since it might be quite useful for you all ^^ It took me a while but I managed to create a tumblr blog dedicated to this very fic. The actual reason why I did it was so that you guys could have the chance to take a look at the Gladiator Ranking if you want to xD you can follow the blog if you'd like, I'll probably be posting excerpts of the already posted chapters once in a while, you are most welcome to ask me any questions over there and to submit any collaboration you'd like to offer to this story ^^ Gotta say there might be a few spoilers there once in a while... xD but there's none so far, I think xD anyhow, you're most welcome to take a look at it! ^^ I can't post an URL here so I'll just suggest you to search for the tag sokkathebluewolf, you'll probably only get a few hits xD but that's the blog xD Anyway, thanks for reading, as usual, and see you around for the next chapter! ^^**


	14. Chapter 14

Walking all the way to Piandao's mansion was nerve-wrecking this time. She blamed it on Ty Lee, since she was the one who had given birth to the strange ideas that were now nestling uncomfortably in her head. She had delayed the trip to Shu Jing as much as she could for the sole sake of avoiding meeting the man who had lately been at the core of most her thoughts.

Even when she was in front of the gates she recalled the ridiculous way in which he had struck the door on their first visit to the sword master. She sighed as she knocked, not even knowing if she would ever get her gladiator out of her thoughts again, but hoping she would someday.

The sun was setting already behind the magnificent mountains that surrounded the island when Fat welcomed her inside just as he usually did, not speaking much to her other than to exchange pleasantries. Azula allowed him to guide her towards the open garden where Sokka was training, and she was doing her best to keep calm and steady over their reunion by reminding herself that her relationship with him was strictly business, nothing other than that. She was to take him back to his home eventually, he was supposed to aid her ruin the ridiculous sexist society in which she lived… he wasn't aware of it, but that was the purpose she kept him around for, and she couldn't forget it. She would have no more nonsense about their completely opposite political views, and she would definitely have no more of Ty Lee's absurd ideas of Sokka's potential as a sexual partner…

Never before had her resolution crumbled with such ease.

She stopped in her tracks when she caught sight of him, standing, shirtless, in the garden, with a bucket of water in his hands. His hair was mildly disheveled, and, judging by the pearls of sweat dangling on his body, he had only just been hard at training and he was finally taking a break. Azula found herself forgetting even where she was standing as she stared at him in awe, her mouth agape as her heart suddenly began pounding in her chest. Not only was it enough that Ty Lee had filled her mind with weird ideas, now she had to witness him in his entire splendor, his caramel-skinned body looking ridiculously alluring for her as he lifted the bucket over his head and tilted it, showering with its content.

Azula's eyes grew wider at the sight of the water running down his body. The scars all over his skin only enhanced his appeal to her. This was madness… no, it was karma, and she no longer could deny it was real. The situation was completely preposterous, why was she even looking at him? Rather, why couldn't she stop staring at him? And why was she blushing too? She was a Princess! She didn't blush, and especially not at the sight of a shirtless savage washing his body in this shameless act…

Fat raised an inquisitive eyebrow when he saw the Princess was looking like she was close to having a cardiac arrest for some reason. To Fat, Sokka had simply thrown a bucket of water over his head; he didn't know that something was stirring within Azula at the sight, something she couldn't control… and normally she hated everything she couldn't control, but it was impossible for her to get out of the trance no matter how hard she tried. His wet hair locks had fallen out of his usual wolf-tail and his lips were parted as he tasted the water he had just thrown over him…

Fat decided to lurk away from the scene, certain the Princess had forgotten he was there altogether; his assumption was dead-on, clearly. Sokka shook his head, spraying his surroundings with small droplets of water as he placed the bucket in the ground. He was about to fix his hair when he looked at his left and realized he wasn't alone.

"Wah!" he exclaimed at the sight of the Princess "W-when did you get here?!"

Azula was still unable to register any of what had happened: her body was reacting to it, her mind wasn't. The blush on her face was nearly as intense as the red on her clothing by now. It took her a few seconds to regain her senses, and when she did she shook her head promptly, focusing her gaze on the wooden floor for a moment, trying to get her mind to work again. She blinked repeatedly, struggling with herself as she did.

"Uh… you okay?" asked Sokka again, and she replied with a strange sound that was halfway between a laugh and a cry.

"I… y-you, what the hell were you just…?" she asked, her eyes betraying her will as they switched towards him, stealing another glance at that magnificent wet body…

"I always do that when I'm done training…" he said, raising an eyebrow "What's so bothersome about it?"

"H-how can you ask what…?!" she started, then stopped on her tracks. Really, what was so wrong about it…? "I-it's plainly inappropriate. Is this the way savages take baths down at the South Pole? No wonder you're so uncivilized…"

Sokka's hands went to the sides of his hips as he wondered what was so absurd about it. Shirtless men weren't a big deal anywhere, from what he knew… but she was the Princess of the Fire Nation. How many times had she seen a man in this light? Sokka found himself smirking as he began pinpointing what bothered her so much

"Yeah, I'm uncivilized yet you're the one who's making a ruckus because I've got no shirt on" he said, beaming cruelly "Is it the first time you've see a man's bare chest, Princess?"

His teasing did nothing but enrage her. She glared at him, trying her best to keep her eyes focused on his, but she couldn't block the sight of his body. Flustered, angry and ashamed of her behavior, she stormed off through the hall as Sokka grabbed the towel he had brought with him and wiped the remaining water off his body, chuckling to himself.

Azula kept walking, her breathing uneven and her face still red. She lifted a hand to her forehead as she tried to calm down. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting like this? She had never felt this way before, she had never been unable to control her body… she had trained for ages both physically and mentally to keep control so that she could excel at bending and every single discipline she dared take upon. But now… all those years of molding her mind into a perfect state had gone to waste. Ty Lee's ridiculous idea returned to her for the millionth time: _"I'm so sure he must be amazing in bed…"_ with that body, he damn as well should be.

She punched the wall when that thought went through her mind. What was the matter with her?!

"Fat informed me of your arri-…" said Piandao, who had just been walking down the hallway when he caught sight of the girl striking the wall with a fist "Princess?"

"Hah?!" she stumbled as she walked away from the wall, moving her hand to her forehead as she tried to get level-headed again. She hadn't realized he was there until he addressed her by her title "Master Piandao… good to see you" she said, even though she still hadn't even looked at him.

"Are you alright, Princess? Do you need anything?" he asked, confused.

"N-no, I don't. Everything's fine. Here" she said, breathing deeply to bring herself back to reality as she handed him the bag of money she owed him on this occasion "W-what do you think of his progress this time? Was he any good?"

"He has progressed considerably…" said Piandao, still eyeing Azula with slight uncertainty "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"

"Don't mind, Piandao" said Azula, rubbing her temples and still avoiding making eye-contact

"So… is there a new fight for me now?" asked Sokka, walking up to them while still wiping his body with the towel.

Only by hearing his voice Azula winced and stared pointedly at the floor, the flush on her cheeks, which had become fainter for a moment, came back at full strength as she recalled the sight she had just been a witness to. Piandao raised an eyebrow as he began connecting the dots: her behavior was definitely most unlike her, and Sokka was being ridiculously bold to be shirtless while being nearby such a high-class lady…

"Sokka… you might want to get a shirt on" said Piandao, to Azula's relief "It's not very courteous to wander around the house in such a getup if there's a lady here"

"Oh… sure" said Sokka, shrugging. He walked into a room not too far away from where they were and when he exited it he was cladding his torso with a shirt to Azula's relief. She was also slightly disappointed, but she would never admit it "So? Am I up for another fight, then?"

"Yes" said Azula between gritted teeth, still refusing to turn towards him "You're due to fight in two day's time. So get ready to leave"

"Right…" said Sokka, sighing "Where's the fight this time?"

"At the Grand Royal Dome, in the Capital" she replied "Get moving, we don't have that long to get there"

"Fine…"whined Sokka, heading into his room again to gather his weapons

Piandao followed him with his eyes until Sokka was gone from sight and then he turned his attention back towards the Princess, who was still flustered.

"Princess… is everything alright?"

"I already said so, didn't I? Why do you keep asking me that?" she replied harshly, glaring at him and finally making eye contact with him.

"Because Sokka was very upset over a certain argument he had with you before you dropped him off here" said Piandao, taking her by surprise.

"He was… upset?" she asked, blinking rapidly

"He told me about what motivated the argument…" said Piandao, and Azula huffed, returning to her normal state as she glared at him in derision.

"And I'm certain you side with him, don't you?" she grunted, curling up a hand in a fist

"My side upon this matter is of little importance, Princess" he said, knowing he was walking on a tight rope by addressing the issue. Anything he dared utter might be turned against him "There's one thing you need to understand, though. If you try to feed him with ideas about how the Fire Nation's doings are completely justified, you'll never get to his good side. He is a strong-willed man, and his mind is sturdier than any metal I've ever seen. Bothering him with this won't be of any use to you, his contempt for this nation will only grow stronger with each word you say"

"I am completely aware of that, you don't need to…" started Azula, but he interrupted her.

"Nevertheless… you might succeed in filling his mind up with these ideas" said Piandao "One day, he might grow to believe them to be true. You might believe that to be a great change, but if you break him in this manner, you'll destroy his identity. What makes him strong, what pulls him through this world after all the pain and suffering he's been through, is that he's still himself. Once you take that from him, he won't be the gladiator you've come to appreciate. Don't shut him down, Princess. Don't try to convert him into something he's not"

"And how exactly was I even supposed to turn him into anything else, really?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes at Piandao's words "The man does just as he pleases. He doesn't even behave like a slave, he's completely insane"

"I'm pretty sure we all have different standards on who sets a good example for 'insane'" said Sokka, returning to the hallway and earning himself a glare from the Princess. She was still uncomfortable around him, but after Piandao's words she had recalled the conflict she was currently having with the gladiator, that other conflict which had nothing to do with his shirtless figure.

"Of course we do" she replied curtly "Are you ready to leave now?"

"Yeah…" said Sokka, turning to Piandao and bowing down to him "I'll see you soon, master"

"Good luck on your fight, Sokka. Don't forget to be patient" said Piandao, and Sokka nodded.

"I won't" he said, grinning "Farewell!"

By the time Sokka was done saying goodbye to Piandao, Azula was already on her way outside. Fat didn't lead them this time, since it seemed he had other tasks to handle and the two of them could find the exit with ease already. Azula walked ahead by a few meters, trying to keep her distance from the gladiator, who wasn't particularly bothered by her distant attitude. Nevertheless, she was obliged to wait for him to pull the gates open, since she hardly ever was the one to open or close any door due to her privileged position as a princess.

"So…who am I fighting this time?" asked Sokka, once they were outside the mansion's grounds.

Azula fumed once again before replying to him.

"Your new opponent is called The Red-Striped Hornet, a non-bender who uses knives as a weapon, according to what I know"

"Knives?" Sokka repeated "Doesn't sound so tough. What position…?"

"382" was Azula's quick reply as they stepped into the town.

"So now you don't mind walking through the main road…?" he asked, surprised. The townsfolk stared at them in both awe and curiosity.

"I only avoided it before to make sure rumors about your training with Piandao wouldn't reach the ears of those who didn't need to hear about it" said Azula "But it hardly matters now, really"

"Doesn't it?" asked Sokka "I mean… a gladiator getting trained by the finest swordsman in the world… it sounds like I've got quite an advantage over everyone else"

"You do" said Azula "And you'd be a fool to relinquish that advantage or to feel any guilt about it. Every other fighter would do anything to get a chance to train under a man of Piandao's quality, and every able sponsor would look up the best coaches he can afford for his fighter. So what we're doing isn't illegal or anything of the sort"

"Ah, well… if that's how it works then it's all good" said Sokka, shrugging "Say… Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?" grunted Azula, between gritted teeth

"You seem awfully… troubled, I think" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow "Why were you acting so weird back there? Is it really because I was shirtless?"

Azula flushed again and shook her head at his boldness

"You're just incorrigible…"

"C'mon, that really wasn't the first time you saw a shirtless guy, was it…?" he asked, raising an eyebrow

"It wasn't…" she grunted, remembering the Agni Kai her father and brother had fought about ten years earlier "Oh, just give it a rest. Forget about it and let me forget it too"

"I bet you really don't want to" he said mockingly, and Azula rolled her eyes, blushing slightly again.

Sokka was actually amazed to see he was comfortable around her again. He had been certain that after their argument their relationship had gotten completely strained. It was odd that he felt so relieved to see he had been wrong about that assumption, and it was even stranger how light-hearted he felt now to see they could talk and make fun of each other in the same way they used to. It was as if, during these few weeks, something had been weighing him down without his knowledge of it and, as soon as he saw her again, that weight was gone. He couldn't pinpoint what was happening exactly… he was simply glad everything seemed to have returned to normal now.

Of course Azula didn't agree with him at all, seeing how shaken she still was after catching the sight of his dripping wet figure; she was also troubled over Piandao's words to her. As they traveled back to the Capital and she sat on her throne-like chair while watching Sokka training against imaginary knife-throwing opponents, all she could do was wonder if Piandao had been right to believe she might change Sokka's way of thinking one day… he had managed to insert foreign thoughts into her mind, was there any chance she had done the same to him?

The trip back to the Capital was completely uneventful, something that both Sokka and Azula were thankful for. When the ship docked after two days of sailing, Sokka headed to his room to pick up his weapons and his armor, and when he returned to the main deck he was most surprised to see a magnificent palanquin in the middle of the ship.

"What's…?" he asked, walking towards it just before Azula climbed on board "Weren't you against these things or something?"

"Against the palanquins?" asked Azula "You clearly don't understand anything about me, do you?"

"Well, I thought it was weird before when you refused to take it" said Sokka, annoyed "But you did it so many times that I was sure you just didn't like it!"

"I was trying my best not to get noticed by people" said Azula "The palanquin would have given away my identity immediately. But I don't care about that anymore, in fact, I'd rather have people move out of my way and let me pass, and the easiest way to do that is with a palanquin"

Sokka frowned at her logic, but he had nothing else to say about it as she climbed aboard, closing the drapes behind her. The palanquin bearers lifted the cabin in a swift motion, attempting to keep it perfectly steady as they walked down the ship. Sokka stared at them with some displeasure, but he was ushered by a Royal Guard to get moving.

He felt extremely awkward as he walked amongst the Royal Guards, who made the trip anything but comfortable due to how silent and stern they all were. He kept gazing at the palanquin in front of him and only now could he realize there truly was a gap between him and the Princess, no matter if he usually acted like there was none. He couldn't help but lower his head in slight shame, feeling the weight of being a slave for the first time in his life.

He was taken by surprise when the palanquin halted in front of the Royal Palace. He had been certain they were to head directly to the Arena…

"Hey, what are we doing?" he asked, walking through the guards with ease until he reached the Princess. Azula climbed off the cabin and stared at him with a raised eyebrow "How come aren't we going to the Arena?"

"We are" said Azula "But I have to get the money before we head out there. We have some time before the match begins anyways, so there's no need to fret"

"Oh, right" he mumbled "Yeah, you'd better not forget the fee this time…"

"It seems you were the one to forget it this time" she replied, making him wince in annoyance as she turned around.

Azula walked into the Palace, feeling comfortable instantly when she was home. The gardens, the inner roads, the magnificent building, the footsteps behind her…

She halted suddenly and turned around when she realized someone had followed her inside the Palace grounds, and it was no surprise to discover who it was.

"What are you doing?" she asked, as he stared at her in confusion.

"Walking" he replied, shrugging

"I meant, why are you following me?" she barked at him, glaring

"Is there any reason why I shouldn't?" asked Sokka, puzzled "I mean… your guards are so boring and annoying… If I follow you at least I'll have someone to talk to!"

"You'll mean someone to irritate" she grunted, as she resumed the walk, with him right beside her now.

"You're too cranky lately, woman" he said "Loosen up! Don't tell me you're still bitter over seeing me shirtless…"

Azula stiffened at the mention of the occasion but she didn't blush, which she would remember afterwards with some pride.

"There are ways to get even on that, you know?" said Sokka, smirking mischievously.

"What are you talking about?" asked Azula, frowning. She had a bad feeling about this…

"Well, you saw me shirtless, now I should see you topless and everything would be fine!"

She gave him the coldest glare she could muster, making him take a few steps back to avoid her wrath.

"I'm sure you'd like that, wouldn't you, savage?" she asked, her hand curling up in a fist enveloped in blue flames.

"Uh, I was just… kidding…" he muttered, sensing the dangerous tone of her voice.

"You'd better be" was her reply as she sped up her pace. Sokka sighed in relief when she decided not to pursue upon the matter. He could tell he had been quite insolent, but it had been too good an opportunity to annoy her to let it go to waste.

Azula raised a hand to stop him when they entered the Palace's main hall. Sokka stopped in his tracks, looking at the very hand that had just been threatening to kill him. Three different pathways spread out from the main hall.

"Stay here" Azula commanded "I don't want you loitering around the palace and getting lost"

"Then just let me go with you and that way you'll make sure I won't get lost" he said.

"You're not coming with me" grunted Azula, glaring at him "Stay put, I said. You don't want to face the consequences of disobeying my orders"

"I bet I don't…" he said, even though he couldn't help himself but smile at her threat.

Azula walked away towards the left corridor, still furious. Sokka couldn't help but smirk at the sight. Getting to her bad side was truly dangerous, but for some reason he couldn't restrain himself from angering her almost every time they met. He stood in the intersection of the three main halls, not doing much of anything until he decided to check out an interesting painting that was hanging on a wall.

"The Great Ship of Yonghua" he read aloud, raising an eyebrow at the painting "What's so great about it? It's hardly even a ship! It's definitely not great!"

He was snickering at the painting when he heard the sound of several footsteps nearby. He turned towards the hall at the right and he witnessed what seemed a procession of some kind. Several Royal Guards with an even more eloquent uniform walked behind soldiers, who were escorting somebody through the Palace halls. And Sokka could only think of one person in the world who would have a need for such opulent parade…

His guess was confirmed when he caught a glimpse of a tall man with golden eyes and black hair, just like his daughter's. Clad in red and elegant garments, he walked through the corridor with such grace it seemed that he was trying to prove that walking was an amazing activity that only a few selected men could perform. Sokka's eyes widened at the sight, the magnitude of the situation only hitting him now. He had always dreamt of having an opportunity like this, to find himself near the man he hated so much so that he could have a chance to slay him and make the world a better place by ridding it from the Fire Lord…

His hand moved automatically and slowly towards the sword on his back. He wanted to do it, he needed to do it, his pride was begging him to take the chance right away… But he couldn't. What purpose would it serve to bring down the Fire Lord in these circumstances? He wouldn't be able to pull it off anyway, there were too many guards around… and even if he did, even if the man's blood was to stain the marble corridors of the Palace, what then? The Fire Lord would be taken to be a martyr and his equally tyrannical daughter would rule the nation in his stead… and Sokka would get himself killed, of course. He couldn't kill the Fire Lord and go unpunished for it… his hand stopped in its motion as he realized how useless killing the man would be…

But, oh, he just wanted to slay him. He deserved it… no man of such evil ways should live in this world, and if Sokka had to sacrifice his life to rid the nations of the Fire Lord, then so be it…

"Sokka?" someone called, startling him and bringing him out of his trance.

Two girls were walking down the corridor in front of him, and one of them was waving quite enthusiastically at him. Sokka was wondering why the girl was greeting him like that until he realized that the hand he had lifted looked just as if he were waving at them. He lowered his hand feeling extremely dumb and he took a last look at the Fire Lord's procession. Neither the ruler nor his subjects had noticed Sokka's presence. The opulent group took a turn around a corner and vanished from sight just when Sokka turned to face the girls.

"How are you doing, handsome?" asked Ty Lee, beaming at him "It's great to see you again!"

"Uh… same" said Sokka, although he didn't quite feel as pleased as Ty Lee did "What are you two doing here?"

"We always come hang with Azula once a week" said Ty Lee, grinning "We came by today and we can't find her anywhere, but if you're here she can't be too far, right?"

"If he's here…" said Mai, thoughtful "… it's likely because he has a fight today, right?"

Sokka nodded slowly, and Ty Lee's eyes widened at the revelation.

"Oh! Of course!" she said, and then she turned to Mai "Hey, how about we go see his match?"

"What?" said Mai, frowning "Not happening. You only want to go to get a chance to make more bets. Your gambling is becoming an addiction, I'm telling you…"

"Oh, come on!" whined Ty Lee "Besides, we have nothing better to do! Why not?"

"I already told you why. And the worst part of your betting is that you always use my money. At least have the decency to use yours, would you?"

"I… I guess I should, sorry about that" said Ty Lee, grinning with some guilt. Mai's glare at her didn't lose any of its harshness.

Sokka only stared at the two friends with some confusion until Ty Lee turned to him again.

"Oh, and, by the way… is everything alright between you and Azula now?" she asked, looking very worried.

"Wha… what are you talking about?" asked Sokka, taken by surprise "What wouldn't be…?"

"Well, I don't know what was wrong, really" said Ty Lee, shrugging "But the other day, after she returned from your first fight, Azula looked upset about something. She wasn't too specific…"

"She wasn't specific at all" Mai muttered

"But we could tell it was something about you" finished Ty Lee "What happened to you two?"

"Well, it wasn't a big deal, just… political differences, I guess" said Sokka "I made it clear that I think she's crazy and her ways of thinking make no sense… and I bet that you think in the same way as she does, so I'm just going to shut up now before you two end up angry at me too"

"Why would I be angry at that?" asked Mai "You'd be crazy to think of the Fire Nation to be amazing and marvelous if you're not Fire Nation"

"Gee" said Sokka, startled "T-thanks for the support, I guess"

"Who said I was supporting you?" said Mai, raising an eyebrow "I'm only stating facts"

"The thing is, Azula can't quite understand that" said Ty Lee, grimacing "She is the Princess, after all. She can't let her view on the Fire Nation get swayed by anyone at all"

"Clearly" said Sokka "Even when it's more than obvious that the Fire Nation's wrongdoings are completely out of control. Anyway, I'm surprised to know she actually cared about that… it didn't seem like it meant that much to her. She was colder to me after it happened, but I didn't think she really cared…"

"It seems she does" said Ty Lee, grinning "And is it really a wonder…?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sokka, as the girl chuckled a little viciously

"I'm disappointed to see you can't figure it out on your own…" she said, her hands on her hips "I thought you were a lot smarter than that!"

"Yeah, if Ty Lee can notice something before you do, it means it's pretty obvious to anyone" said Mai "You're slower than I thought, really"

"HEY! That's so mean, Mai!" whined Ty Lee, pouting

"It's the truth. It hurts sometimes" said Mai, smirking slightly

"Seems like you're awfully honest with everyone, aren't you?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"I do my best to be" she said, still grinning "So, you really can't figure it out, can you?"

"What am I supposed to figure out?" he grumbled, annoyed "I have no idea what you two are trying to pull, but I know that she's just plain crazy! There's nothing more to that!"

"I believe we all have different standards on who sets a good example for 'plain crazy'" he heard someone say behind him, the Princess's mocking voice making him jump in surprise, especially since she was using his own words against him.

"Azula!" squealed Ty Lee, flinging her arms around her friend. Azula looked slightly uncomfortable, but she didn't push her away. Ty Lee caught sight of the bag in her friend's hand and her eyes seemed to grow wide in greed "Hey! You've got some money there! You can lend me some so I can bet on Sokka today!"

"What?!" said Azula, startled "What are you…? Are you even going to watch the match, for starters?"

"Of course! Why else would I ask you to lend me money to bet on him?" she asked, grinning as she let go of the Princess.

"Ty Lee… the last time you watched a gladiator fight you were reduced to tears" said Azula, her eyebrow twitching "You're saying you can sit tight through this one without a problem?"

"Why not?" she said, shrugging "Last time it was traumatic because it was an Amateur fight and it was very scary, but this is professional! It's just two guys beating each other up in a sand pit in a far nicer way!"

"Yeah, a really nice way" said Sokka, sarcastically

"I can put up with it, really" said Ty Lee, extending her hand towards Azula's bag of money. The Princess stared at her hand as if the gesture was completely incomprehensible.

"What are you doing, Ty Lee?" she asked

"I asked you for money… you're going to lend me some, right?" she said, smiling innocently

"No" said Azula curtly, and Ty Lee's enthusiasm was replaced by disenchantment immediately "I have the exact money I need for the fight in case this moron loses, I can't spare you any of it, and I wouldn't even if I could"

"That's so mean!" Ty Lee squealed again "You're even worse than Mai!"

"And here I was thinking you had reached that conclusion ages ago" said Azula, rolling her eyes "If you're going to bet anything, use your own money"

"Bleh, you both are too stingy" Ty Lee whined, crossing her arms over her chest

"You can also get your own gladiator" said Mai, shrugging "That way you could bet on him and you can fend your addiction for gambling like that…"

"That's not very helpful, Mai" said Azula, but Ty Lee's huge smile showed she thought otherwise

"That sounds like a plan! Yes!" she squealed

"Well, great for you" said Azula, rolling her eyes "Go get your gladiator and waste all your money on him if you have any savings at all. Meanwhile, I have an appointment to attend and this savage is supposed to come too. I'll be seeing you both later"

With this statement, Azula began walking down the main road that led outside the Palace's premises. Sokka followed her, although he wasn't too pleased to hear the Princess refer to him in such a diminishing manner in public…

"Wait! We're coming too!" declared Ty Lee, taking Mai's hand and dragging her behind the other two, trying to keep up with their pace.

Azula didn't say a word as she climbed aboard her palanquin again. Sokka sighed at the thought of having to walk amongst those strange guards again, but just as he was about to start walking, someone called out to him.

"Wait! What are you doing?" asked Ty Lee, at which Sokka stopped and turned around towards where he had heard her voice.

The two girls were getting aboard a fancy carriage, and Ty Lee signaled at him to come towards them.

"We'll give you a ride! No need to walk all the way there! You'll be tired out and you need to save up energies for the combat!"

Sokka was surprised to hear the girl making such a smart suggestion. He had almost pinned her down as a moron by now. He took the offer with a smile and he climbed aboard the carriage right behind them, and to his surprise and relief, Ty Lee sat by Mai rather than clinging onto him.

The conversations during the ride weren't particularly interesting for Sokka, since he was busy wondering what his next opponent would be like. Mai and Ty Lee kept talking about matters he didn't understand or care for, and he was trying to get in the right mindset to face the battle up ahead…

He was still lost in his thoughts when the carriage stopped again. He was the first to climb off when the driver announced they had arrived to the Arena. Sokka was about to head into the building without a second thought, but he stopped in his tracks simply to admire the architecture of the Grand Royal Arena. He stood with his mouth wide open, looking at the magnificent coliseum in front of him, wondering how such a fancy building could be a Gladiator Arena.

Azula was only getting off her palanquin when she caught sight of her marveled gladiator. She sighed at how ridiculous he looked with his mouth agape as she walked up to him.

"Are you going to walk inside or are you too busy gawking at the building to recall why you're here in the first place?" she asked, raising an eyebrow

Sokka shook his head and glared at her, annoyed.

"Let's get this over with" he groaned.

"Just what I was thinking" replied Azula, walking into the wide atrium with him by her side.

She led him towards the main counter behind which Shoji was sitting, checking the ranking as he usually was. Sokka was too busy staring at every detail of the magnificent vestibule to pay attention to where he was walking to as he followed Azula.

"Shoji" said Azula, startling the boy, who beamed when he saw her "Check us in"

"Right away, Princess!" he said, grinning even though he was surprised to hear Azula speaking of her and her gladiator as 'us'. Most sponsors would only ever refer to themselves and ignore the slave completely "So… is this your fighter?"

Sokka finally turned to him and stared at the boy with curiosity.

"Hey" he said, simply. Shoji smiled at him while wishing he could be as cool as the man in front of him.

"Nice to meet you at last, Blue Wolf" he said "Your sign-up can be finished now, since you're here…"

"What? What are you talking about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as Shoji took out Sokka's initial register form.

"Here. The Princess didn't know for sure what your ten weapons of choice were when she was signing you in, so you have to fill in that part of the form now, if you don't mind…"

"I see…" he said, taking the brush and ink the boy offered and he began writing down his ten weapons.

"You also have to state what you'll be using on this next fight, by the way" said Shoji, once Sokka was done writing "What will your weapons be?"

"Uh…" said Sokka, frowning "My sword, my boomerang, and… three bombs, I guess. I don't think I'll need anything else in this fight"

"Understood" said the boy, smiling as he wrote his selected weapons on another file "Very well, your fight will begin shortly. Take the stairs to the basement; you're supposed to go to the stand-by room that's on the hallway at the right. Princess, you shall go upstairs to the sponsor's balcony"

"Thanks, Shoji" she said, making him blush at her words as he bowed down to her.

"See you, boy" said Sokka, following Azula towards the huge flights of stairs in the vestibule. Shoji simply waved good-bye at him.

"Good luck!" they heard Ty Lee squeal from behind them, as she and Mai walked towards the stands reserved for the rest of the audience. Azula watched them both until they were gone from sight and she headed downstairs with Sokka, startling him.

"Uh… why are you coming along again this time?" he asked, raising an eyebrow

"Why shouldn't I have?" she replied curtly, having him blink in confusion

Sokka would have pressed further upon the matter but he was too busy staring at every detail of the Royal Dome. The carpeted stairs were splendid just like the ornaments around him, and they made him feel disgusted with himself when he realized he was admiring the beautiful red color that was everywhere in sight, a color he used to loathe. Rather than a stone tunnel like the one at the Ember Crater, the passageways at the Grand Royal Dome were beautiful and elegant, something that Sokka couldn't quite understand. He was certain that only gladiators treaded along these paths, therefore, why would the staff of the Arena bother making these hallways so beautiful? He wasn't against them at all, but he was certain that most noblemen would consider it a complete and utter waste of material if they ever saw how grand these halls were. They probably never did.

The stand-by room was just as magnificent as everything else, even the golden metallic grid was sparkling in such a manner that Sokka actually felt like sitting down to admire it for hours. Yet Azula brought him back to reality when she cleared her throat.

"What?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"Listen up" she said, once she knew she had his attention "From what Shoji told me, your opponent isn't that easy to defeat. Watch out for the knives, be smart about this combat and everything will go accordingly. Remember you don't need to knock your rival out: as long as you dominate throughout the entire fight and you manage to last all the way until the time is up, you can win"

"It sounds as if you expected this gladiator to be tougher than the Spawn" said Sokka, surprised

"Judging by how ridiculously weak the Spawn was, you should hope this one is better" said Azula "Don't underestimate any of your rivals, no matter if they're weaklings, because the minute you do, they're likely to prove you were wrong about all your assumptions"

Sokka raised an eyebrow at those words, surprised to hear her sharing wisdom like this

"Alright, I won't underestimate anyone, if that's what you want from me" he said, shrugging "See you later, I guess. I'll do my best to win"

"You'd better" said Azula, turning around swiftly and leaving the room.

Sokka was left again with a strange sense of longing once she walked away. Something was still off about them, something that caused his insides to stir uncomfortably. He wanted to fix this somehow, he wanted to make things better, to tell her he was sorry… until he realized he wasn't sorry at all about what he had said back then. All he wanted was for things to return to normal between them… he had been scared to see her smiling in joy not too long ago, but now he would have done anything to avoid getting into that blasted conversation and have her keep that scary smile on her face if only to avoid the displeasure he was feeling right now.

But it was pointless to continue mulling over it right now, when he couldn't do anything about it. He stood in front of the metallic grid, his eyes growing colder just as they always did when he faced the sandy pit. After a few minutes, the grid began moving upwards and his resolution was as strong as he felt: he was about to face a new enemy, and he would make sure to triumph against him just as he had triumphed all along ever since he had become a Gladiator.

He wouldn't let the Princess down.


	15. Chapter 15

Cheers greeted him as he stepped into the sand. He had no idea of why he had so many supporters, but they were most certainly rooting for him since the squeals had begun when he was announced. Just as he had been told to do back when he had been in the Amateur Arena, he raised a hand to salute the crowd and was rewarded by even louder screams.

After listening to the cheers for a little while, Sokka began his usual processing of all the details of the fighting area. There was more furniture here than what there had been on Ember Island, such as complex systems of ladders and ropes, a stone well that seemed to be completely out of place at one side of the Arena and metallic spikes were dangerously placed around the edge of the pit. Sokka walked amongst the objects, doing his best not to trip anything up.

The other gladiator was already at the center of the Arena, glaring at him in a menacing manner. His shaggy light-brown hair was slightly disheveled, and he used a red bandana to keep his bangs out of his surprisingly large eyes. There were thick, red stripes on his cheeks, explaining the first half of his name, and his black armor with some golden embroidery finished clearing up why his gladiator name was 'The Red-Striped Hornet'.

Sokka looked up towards the stands. The Grand Royal Dome seemed large enough to hold a crowd of at least a thousand people. The judges' balcony stood to one side of the building, opposite to the sponsors' terrace, just as it had been at the Ember Crater. But just above the sponsors' balcony there was another large balcony, more opulent and magnificent than the other two. It was empty, and Sokka didn't need to delve too much in the matter to realize it was destined for the Royal Family's use. Since Azula was here today in quality of sponsor rather than Princess, she was sitting in the lower balcony next to a plump, bald man. Her cold gaze was set upon him, and he could see clearly in her eyes the expectations she had for him. Sokka nodded towards her in acknowledgment before turning again to his rival.

"Are you ready, gladiators?!" asked a man with a megaphone just like the one at the Ember Crater "The time limit on this occasion is fifteen minutes, just as your sponsors decided!"

Sokka looked at Azula briefly again, wondering if only fifteen minutes would be a good idea… it sounded like a very short time span… but, clearly, he had no say upon the matter. The gladiator in front of him snarled at him, making him wince in surprise. He wasn't too built; in fact, he was surprisingly thin for a fighter. He was already wielding his knives and his glare was slightly terrifying even though Sokka didn't think anything else about the gladiator was quite as menacing as his face.

"Get ready… START!"

Rather than jumping into attack right away, just as Sokka expected him to do, the Hornet kept glaring at him, his hands unsheathing two knives and holding them steadily in quite a threatening fashion.

"Hey there" said Sokka, smiling in a friendly way "What's up?"

"What'd you mean 'what's up'?" grunted the enemy with a shrill but rasping voice "Don't you remember what you're here for?!"

"Sure I do" said Sokka, smiling when he realized this fighter seemed at least a little more rational than the Spawn of the Volcano "My name is Sokka. What's yours?"

"None of your business!" he yelled, lounging at him with his knives.

Sokka avoided the blow, but the gladiator attempted to deliver a second slash towards him right after he had jumped. He failed to hit Sokka, but evading the attack this time took the Water Tribe man a lot of effort, and he ended up collapsing on the ground. Sokka kicked dirt into his rival's face and jumped away, getting steady on his feet once more as the Hornet stumbled, coughing and spitting up sand.

"You asshole!" yelled the Hornet "You're cheating!"

"Hey, there are no rules that say you can't toss dirt into the eyes of your opponent" said Sokka, folding his arms across his chest as he smirked smugly at his rival.

The Hornet wiped his eyes clean before getting ready to attack again.

"C'mon, make this stupid fight worthwhile!" he grunted, running at him with his knives held up high again

"You might want to change that form of attack, you know?" Sokka said, evading each blow with more ease than before "It's really reckless, you've got no style at all…"

"No style is my style!" yelled the Hornet, trying to stab Sokka on the face.

"And that's plain stupid!" said Sokka, ducking and driving a fist into the Hornet's chin.

The Hornet stumbled backwards, having bitten his tongue when Sokka punched him. He spat out blood, grimacing at the bitterness of the taste in his mouth.

"See?" said Sokka "Having no style means you're open for those attacks! Work on your stance and your offensive, will you?"

The Hornet yelled in rage and attacked him again. Sokka frowned as he evaded the attacks as he noticed there was a sound foreign to his fight with the Hornet… it seemed that people at the stands were actually laughing at them. He wasn't particularly bothered by the situation, but he did wonder what was so amusing about their fight.

"Would you quit being so thoughtless?" he asked, sighing as he kept avoiding blows "I faced better fighters back in the Amateur League…"

"WHAT?!" screamed the Hornet, his eyes blazing with rage. He gritted his teeth as he grasped his knife steadily in his right hand and tossed it straight at Sokka's shoulder. He managed to avoid it just in time, but the Hornet achieved his goal to stab him on the uncovered portion of his arm with his remaining weapon.

Sokka stumbled back and held his hurt arm with his other hand. The wound didn't feel too deep, but it was somewhat painful. It was finally time to get serious, was it?

"How about that, dog?!" yelled the Hornet, grinning mischievously "Did your Amateur buddies hurt you like that?!"

"Nah, they didn't" said Sokka, smirking as he finally withdrew his sword and boomerang from their scabbards "They were way stronger than that!"

With this last statement he tossed his boomerang at the Hornet, who ducked as he unsheathed another knife. Sokka tried to run him through with his sword, but he failed to reach his enemy, who evaded the blow by twirling to the right. The Hornet laughed when Sokka stumbled forward, trying to get back on his feet clumsily, but Sokka smirked as he turned to look at his foe.

"What're you trying to…?!" started the Hornet, trying to make fun of Sokka but failing when a boomerang came flying straight at his head.

The blow made him lose his bearings for a moment, and Sokka caught the boomerang just as it rebounded.

"You're damn gullible, you know that?" he asked, chuckling.

"ARGH!" yelled the Hornet, taking his knives and attempting to attack Sokka again.

"C'mon, can't we be reasonable about this?" he asked, as he wielded his sword and moved it in a horizontal arch to keep the Hornet at a distance.

"QUIT UNDERESTIMATING ME!" yelled the Hornet, throwing another knife. Sokka struck it down with his sword, to the Hornet's surprise, and he pierced a part of the Hornet's armor.

"I don't think I underestimated you, pal" he said, grinning "I actually estimated you just as I should have"

The Hornet looked terrified now as he realized his opponent seemed to be far more powerful than he was. He gave out another cry of war as he jumped forward, trying to slash Sokka's armor somehow, but Sokka ducked and knocked his opponent to the ground by tripping him. The Hornet rolled on the ground and jumped up again, picking up one of the knives he had dropped earlier. He lunged at Sokka again, attempting to stab him several times, tossing one knife and using the next, but the Blue Wolf was too skilled for him to defeat.

Sokka managed to push the Hornet all the way to the well, and he aimed his sword at his neck when he had him against the stone walls that comprised the water pit.

"Sorry about this, really" said Sokka, smirking slightly "Want to keep fighting or do you want me to get this over with now?"

"Y-you…" grunted the Hornet, and to Sokka's surprise, the Hornet attempted to kick him in the leg, but not with any sort of weapon: attached to his right boot was the last of the Hornet's five weapons, another deadly knife.

Sokka couldn't avoid the blow completely, but his armor kept him safe from getting wounded. Still, the metal plate over his thigh crashed against his skin painfully, prompting him to gasp in pain and jump backwards.

"Hey!" he yelled, after getting out of the Hornet's reach "That was damn sneaky!"

"Yeah, it was" said the Hornet, smirking "Have a problem with that?"

"It was a very lowly move!" said Sokka, fixing his armor.

"Yeah, just like yours when you kicked sand into my face!" yelled the Hornet "Now we're even!"

"You're a damn sneaky boy, you know that?" asked Sokka, wiping the sweat off his brow as he glared at the Hornet.

"No, I'm not!" yelled the Hornet, enraged. Sokka blinked in surprise at his reaction.

"Why are you so worked up over that?" he asked "Got a problem with handling the truth?"

"That's not the truth, you asshole!" yelled the Hornet "I'm not a sneaky boy because I'm a GIRL!"

The realization stunned Sokka. He was left to stare at the Hornet with his jaw hanging open, even his blood seemed to slow down at the unexpected revelation.

"Y-you're a… y-you're a girl?! How can you be a girl?!" asked Sokka, and the Hornet grew even madder.

"YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" she yelled, running at him with her knives in tow.

Sokka didn't have it easy this time to avoid three knives, seeing how the Hornet was using both arms and her foot to attack him. But he didn't use his sword to fight anymore, he was simply defending himself now.

"W-why are you a girl?!" he yelled, thoughtlessly.

"What'd you mean why am I a girl?!" squealed the Hornet "I had no choice on that, you idiot!"

"B-but nobody said you were a girl!" Sokka insisted, as he avoided a blow that passed dangerously close to his cheek "You don't even look like one!"

"Well, sorry for not being a preppy cute princess like your sponsor is!" yelled the Hornet "But she should've damn told you I was a girl before you got into this fight! It's too late to surrender now, you dog!"

"Don't call me dog! I'm a wolf! W-wait…" said Sokka, jumping backwards as he looked up to the sponsors' balcony "You knew she was a girl?!"

Azula couldn't do anything other than glare at him in rage. His performance wasn't half as great as she expected it to be, but now he was also shaming her in front of the entire crowd by yelling at her like this? Not to mention how his fighting had suddenly resorted to simply resisting to the Hornet's attacks without trying to inflict any damage into her. What was the matter with him?

"Your gladiator is a little strange, Princess… if I'm allowed to say so" muttered Hosang, chewing up on Fire Flakes right next to Azula.

Azula didn't reply to his comment, her blazing eyes fixated upon the sand pit. What was that fool trying to pull?

Sokka would have kept yelling at his sponsor if the Hornet's jabs weren't claiming his attention. He jumped back and parried some of the blows with his sword, but he still restrained from attacking.

"What's the matter?! You afraid of me now?!" yelled the Hornet, her teeth gritted as she pushed Sokka back when both her knives collided against Space Sword.

"I'm not afraid, I just don't want to fight a girl!" said Sokka.

"You WHAT?!" yelled the Hornet.

Azula clasped the edge of her seat brusquely, her knuckles turning white. What was that supposed to mean?

"I don't want to!" said Sokka "I refuse to, in fact! I won't hurt a girl!"

"Gee, that's a gentleman" Ty Lee whispered to Mai in the stands. The gloomy girl simply raised an eyebrow, not caring at all for Sokka's manners.

The Hornet glared at him furiously before clasping her weapons with even more strength and she yelled loudly, flinging herself to fight him again, moving her arms at such speed that Sokka had a lot of trouble keeping up. Regardless, he managed to keep the Hornet at bay somehow, avoiding and parrying against her dangerous and deadly blows.

"He's pretty good" admitted Hosang, sucking on his fingers. Azula would have found his activity disgusting if she hadn't been busy glowering at her gladiator. She couldn't believe he was acting like this… he would end up losing the match at this rate and he didn't seem to care. She brought a hand up to her forehead as she wondered why had she been foolish enough to look for a Gladiator with a brain… a thoughtless fighter could have been way more useful than Sokka was at this point.

Sokka scrambled into one of the systems comprised of ropes and ladders, trying to get away from the Hornet, who managed to toss a knife at the very precise spot to cut the rope he was dangling on and she knocked him to the ground. Sokka took the chance to run all around the sand pit and the Hornet followed, yelling at him non-stop.

"BE A MAN, YOU WUSS! FIGHT ME!"

"I'm being a man by NOT fighting you!" declared Sokka, still running amok.

Eventually he realized he couldn't keep up at this rate. The time would end eventually and he was still doing nothing other than running around in circles. He stopped briskly as he turned around and he ducked, stepping on the dagger on the Hornet's foot and lifting her above his head, throwing her into the air and forcing her to drop her weapons when she landed heavily on the ground again.

"There! Stay put!" yelled Sokka, kicking the Hornet's weapons away.

But the Hornet refused to surrender. She yelled again and leaped up, her lips curled into another snarl. Sokka didn't foresee her movement and he could only wince as she crashed her head against his unprotected jaw. The blow shook him, his teeth crashing together in a very unpleasant manner, and his momentary lost of focus gave the Hornet a chance to push him to the ground.

They rolled around, struggling as the fight became even wilder. The Hornet bit Sokka's hand to force him to let go of Space Sword, prompting him to yell out loud as he tried to get her off him. Sokka managed to push her away from him and he sprinted around the sand pit again, avoiding the obstacles while feinting, trying to shake off his pursuer. The Hornet kept yelling at him, cursing him more and more until she finally caught up with him, pulling at his clothes and forcing him to come face to face with her once again.

"FIGHT ME!"

"How the hell do you want me to say it?!" Sokka grunted, their hands locked together at the level of their arms as they pushed each other "I-won't-fight-a-girl!"

The Hornet seemed to flip out at his statement and she pushed even rougher than before, trying to trip Sokka up with her feet. Sokka avoided getting knocked over and managed to keep her at a distance, until she began pushing with impressive strength, using her legs to propel herself. When she was close to him again she locked her jaws around his wrist, making him yell, outraged and pained. Against his better judgment, Sokka began smacking her head, trying to loosen her before she cut his hand off with her teeth...

"The time is up!" yelled the megaphone man, startling both fighters "The judges will decide the winner shortly!"

Both Sokka and the Hornet stared at the judges' balcony in surprise. They hadn't realized the fifteen minutes were already spent, it hadn't seemed like they were fighting for that long. And since he was wondering when the fifteen minutes passed him by, it took a moment for Sokka to realize he was still being bitten by a girl who didn't look like one.

"Hey! Let go of me already, the fight is over!" he yelled, pushing the Hornet away. Luckily for him, the Hornet decided to listen to him and she unclenched her teeth, spitting in the sand as she glared at him,

"You're a coward!" she yelled "You didn't want to fight me because you knew I'd win!"

"There was no way you would have won... if I'd never known you were a girl" said Sokka, rolling his eyes "Damn, how come are you a girl? It's ridiculous!"

"You're a jerk!" said the Hornet now "Maybe if you were half as smart as you act like you would have noticed I was a girl before fighting me!"

"Well, maybe I would have noticed if you'd told me what your name was!" said Sokka, shaking his head in disapproval

"My real name's Smellerbee" she grunted "And I bet you wouldn't have known I was a girl even if you'd known my name!"

"Yeah, it's not much use, actually..." Sokka mused, frowning.

"Well, whatever!" said the Hornet, smirking "I'm damn sure you'll learn your lesson when the judges say who's the winner of this fight!"

Reality struck him with the force of a huge wave crashing against a cliff shore. His pathetic performance in this particular fight had probably cost him the match indeed. Never before had he lost in an Arena, but it seemed everything would change today... but how was he to be blamed by the outcome? Everything was the Princess's fault! She should have told him his opponent was a girl! In fact, why didn't she? He looked back at his conversations with her through the journey to the Capital and not once did she say his rival gladiator would be a female. Since when did women fight in gladiator Arenas, for starters? He had been at Hui Yi for two years and not once did he fight a girl. How come were there girls in the Superior Gladiator League? He couldn't understand it, he was completely unable to piece together this confusing riddle... he could hardly be blamed for his response once he knew his rival was a girl. It was the right thing to do, it was what he had been taught to do by his father down at the Southern Water Tribe... to lift a hand against a woman was the lowliest thing a man could resort to, and even when he was in the lowest place where he could be by being a slave to the enemy nation, he would never throw away his integrity.

Or so he wished... when he snuck a peek towards where the sponsors were, he found himself gulping. He had never imagined Azula could look so mad... things would always work out for her one way or another, but this wasn't likely to end well and she knew it. The deadly glare she was sending his way was far more terrifying on its own than all the screams and snarls the Hornet had voiced out during their fight in attempts to intimidate him. He lowered his gaze, slightly ashamed even though he didn't know why he felt this way. For some reason he had been certain he wouldn't let her down... discovering otherwise was somehow disheartening.

"The judges will announce the winner now!" said the man with the megaphone, handing over the loudspeaker to a man in his mid-sixties. After clearing his throat, the second man began talking in a very slow-paced manner.

"After much deliberation due to the unusual nature of this encounter, it took the jury a long time to reach a conclusion. Sponsors, both your gladiators gave out a stupendous performance..."

"Why won't he get to the point...?!" groaned the Hornet, biting her thumb's nail anxiously.

"But a winner must be declared regardless. Therefore, due to the effectiveness of his attacks and defense, and despite his lack of fighting drive during the second half of the fight, the winner is the Blue Wolf"

Both Sokka's and Smellerbee's mouths fell open comically at the exact same time.

"Hey!" yelled Hosang at the sponsors' balcony "That's not...!"

He stopped complaining when his mind supplied him with a logical explanation as to why his gladiator had be found inferior to the Blue Wolf. Of course, the Hornet never had a chance to win if she was facing the Princess's gladiator... how could the judges dare pronounce him as a loser if he was sponsored by the Fire Lord's daughter? It was a lost fight since the beginning...

"May I ask why is my gladiator being presented with the victory when his performance was as lacking as it was?" Azula's voice roared through the stadium before people could break in celebration cheers to honor the triumphant gladiator.

Everyone fell quiet when the Princess spoke, even the Hornet, who seemed to be about to break into an all out protest over her defeat.

"As I already explained," said the judge, speaking in the same slow monotone as before. It seemed that talking to the Princess didn't change his demeanor in the slightest "The Blue Wolf showed a greater effectiveness as a fighter than the Red-Striped Hornet. He inflicted far more damage with less attacks and defended himself effectively from her blows in numerous occasions. The Hornet was more ferocious and determinant, but her skills were inferior to the Wolf's. This is why the judges have come to decide the Wolf has won on this fight"

Azula's eyes narrowed in disapproval, but his words made sense regardless. The people in the crowd, rather than cheering, began muttering amongst themselves, and soon enough the Arena's stands were full of chatter. Both gladiators were led by a few uniformed men back into their respective stand-by rooms to exit the sand pit while Azula tried to keep her anger at bay.

"Well, that's that, I guess" said Hosang, sighing "Your gladiator won, Princess! Congratulations!"

With this, he handed her a bag of money. Azula hesitated before taking it.

"I apologize for my gladiator's disgraceful behavior" said Azula "Your gladiator should have earned the win because of the way mine acted"

"Oh, no worries" said Hosang, shrugging and smiling "It was only a fight. At times you win, at times you lose. It's the way this business works"

"Right" muttered Azula, massaging her brow with her free hand.

"But I do have to say…" Hosang began "That your gladiator might not be cut out to your expectations. It happens often, not every newcomer is able to handle the Superior League. Perhaps you ought to look for a better fighter, one that doesn't have any strange ideas like this one. You are the Princess, you can afford the best fighters without a problem… can't you?"

"I… I guess I could" said Azula, as Hosang stood up with difficulty from his chair. She frowned at the thought of getting another gladiator… could she really do that? Should she do that? After Sokka's ridiculous performance, she truly felt inclined to do so…

"It was my pleasure to fight you" said Hosang, grinning "Maybe we can do it again sometime!"

"Perhaps" was Azula's evasive answer, and Hosang bowed to her, leaving the room.

She sat by herself for a while, her brow contracted firmly. She couldn't help but feel cheated somehow after Sokka's pathetic act. How had he dared…? She couldn't understand it no matter how she tried to look at the matter. She truly didn't want another gladiator, searching for one would be unbelievably annoying, but she might not have a choice if this was the way Sokka was going to fight from now on.

She stood up and walked down towards the stand-by room, her scowl warning everyone who crossed her path to stay as far away from her as possible. Sokka was taking off his helmet when Azula stormed into the room.

"What… what the hell was that, you pathetic fool?" she asked, trying her best to keep calm, but failing terribly at it. Her voice shook despite she was avoiding raising it as much as she wanted to. Yelling at him wouldn't make the situation any better.

"What do you mean what was that?!" Sokka replied, glaring at her "You're the one who owes me an explanation! Why didn't you tell me I'd be fighting a girl?!"

"Why the hell… should such a thing even matter?!" she said.

"It matters!" growled Sokka "I'm not about to go out there to beat up girls!"

"Why the fuck not?!" she screamed now. Yelling wouldn't improve the situation, but it sure as hell made her feel much better, and the same applied to cursing.

Sokka was taken by surprise by her coarse word, but his determination didn't falter

"Girls aren't supposed to get beaten up!"

"Says WHO?!"

"Says any moral code in any other place in this world other than in this foul nation!" yelled Sokka "You think it's fine for me to go around injuring girls?! Well, it's not! I'm not a lowly creep who'd do something so pathetic! Yeah, I should have lost this fight, but it's because of you! I didn't fight her properly, just like I'll never fight a girl properly! I'm not about to become some sort of monster just because you want me to!"

The word he used made her wince in rage. Sokka was taken aback by the dangerous look on her face. She looked like she was truly about to electrocute him.

"Funny you say that, you useless sack of dung…" she grunted, unable to keep her fury in check "Why the hell did you fight me, then?"

Sokka blinked in surprise when she said those words. He stood silently, thinking of the answer to her question.

"Yes, I figured you'd conveniently forgotten about that. Why, then, 'Mr. Morale Code'? Why do you refuse to fight girls yet you're fine with fighting me?! Do you think I have a penis down there, by any chance?!" she yelled angrily

"N-no! Of course not!" said Sokka, grimacing

"Then say it! Why didn't you care when it came down to me?! Why, is it because I'm your enemy? OR IS IT BECAUSE YOU THINK I'M A MONSTER?!" she bellowed, screaming out loud the one word she hated the most.

Sokka was completely startled by her reaction. He never expected her to act like this.

"You have nothing to say now, smart mouth?!" she asked "You're a disgrace, you useless savage… yeah, yeah, behave as if you were all glory, morale and honor, but you know what?! You're just as bad as Zuko! You know nothing about true honor!"

"W-what are you…?"

"You said Piandao had talked to you about honor, hadn't you?" asked Azula, her voice growing surprisingly shrill "Well, damn, it seems his words were a complete waste on you! You've disgraced yourself out there by refusing to fight for such a pathetic reason, you disgraced me as your sponsor and you disgraced your opponent too by acting as if she were inferior to you! What the hell does it matter if it's a girl?! She was fighting to her damn best, while you weren't even trying! What the hell do you even get about honor?! You don't understand anything about it! You're just a pathetic slave… a useless savage…"

Sokka clenched his fists and teeth as he shook his head.

"You don't get it. I never said I thought she was inferior…"

"Then why?" asked Azula, still angry "Why do you say you refuse to fight girls?"

"Because back when I was with my Tribe I was taught to take care of girls, to protect them! Not to fight them!" he said, shaking his head "I didn't get it at first, sure! How was I supposed to take care of a crazy waterbending sister? But then I grew up and I realized I have to protect girls, not to hurt them!"

"Well, damn, it looks like you're facing the biggest predicament of your life" said Azula, rolling her eyes "Because that girl out there, the Hornet, she's not just a girl. She's a warrior, a gladiator just like you are. And by refusing to fight her you're showing you're a scumbag just like all those sexist assholes I've known and abhorred for my whole life! You wanted to protect the Hornet? That's, oh, so nice from you, but she was out there, fighting you! And you're just trying to protect her… do you know nothing about respecting your opponent?! One second you were there, fighting to your utmost and the next you were claiming you wouldn't hurt her because she's a girl! Do you have a clue of how humiliated she must be right now?! Do you have any idea of how lowly that was?! Girls CAN FIGHT! You know it damn well, don't you?! You've got a damn huge scar in your stomach to prove it! But then you just decide that you're not fighting girls because you want to protect them… yeah, what a great man indeed…"

"Azula, I just…" he said, her name slipping off his mouth without his thinking of it

"Save your bullshit" she grunted, still irked "You're just like them, damn you. And here I was, believing you were any different. What you think is a courteous behavior is nothing but foolishness, it's nothing but humiliation towards women. And I won't stand for it. If you ever dare do something like this again, I will strike you down. I won't care about all the goals I wanted to achieve through you, and I already don't give a damn about how sad your Tribe will be if you never return home. If you can't honor your rival in the right way next time, be it a man or a woman, I'll be more than happy to make sure you pay for it with your life"

With that threat, she stepped out of the room, leaving him frozen on the spot. Her harsh words rang through his brain several times, he seemed unable to register it all, especially the fact that she had been angry enough to curse. It was something so unlike her, to use such a crude vocabulary… why the hell was he focusing on that? He shook his head in disapproval to his actions, ashamed of himself even though he didn't know why he felt so bad about it. He had been taught not to hurt girls… he had stuck to that principle for his entire life, yet for some reason he couldn't stop thinking Azula was partially right, if not completely right. He had no reserves on fighting her back in the South Pole; even when he had been training against her on her barge he hadn't held back. Why had he forgotten his ethics when faced against her? He probably had because he had known there was no chance he could have hurt her, she was too powerful for him to damage. In his eyes, the Princess was superior to any woman or man, she was powerful beyond compare. A lowly savage like himself was nowhere near her league, no matter in whichever aspect he wanted to compare himself to the Princess.

Yet somehow he feared she was right. The Hornet had wanted to fight him properly, yelled at him to take her seriously but he had refused. Clearly, he was superior to her and he proved it during the first part of the match, but afterwards he had undermined her, humiliated her by deciding he wouldn't fight anymore. She must have felt truly ridiculized... if anything set him apart from the Fire Nation people was that he would do the right thing no matter what. Was it right to stand by his decision of not hurting a girl? Or was he a fool for disdaining his opponent just because she was a female? Both of them were gladiators, slaves to sponsors, and she probably despised the Fire Nation as well. What made her so different from him?

Back when he was at Hui Yi there had been a non-verbal agreement between the gladiators of respecting each other both inside the Arena and in the barracks they slept in. They didn't have a choice but to fight each other and they knew it; by the end of the day, many of the faces they had grown used to seeing around the fireplace would be gone for good. They still had to fight, and they would do it properly, since it was the only way to give your opponent and brother in arms a proper death. In a way, some gladiators were actually happy to die by the hands of someone who respected him after enjoying a great battle against him. It was a code that all Amateur Gladiators abided by, and it was something that Sokka had forgotten immediately when faced with combats that weren't lethal. He remembered said code now and realized that he had to carry the same relationship with professional gladiators than he did with the amateur gladiators from Hui Yi. He wasn't used to fighting girls, seeing how there never was a female gladiator in his former fighting site, but their gender didn't matter. Refusing to fight them would easily result in the death of him, he had no doubt that, if the Princess was as deadly as she was, there would surely be female gladiators who, without breaking a sweat, could tear him down if he didn't take them seriously. He had been truly lucky this time to face an opponent like the Hornet: on the next opportunity he faced a girl he might not live to tell the tale.

Sokka had no idea as for how long he had been there, alone, in the stand-by room, his gaze still lost in the place Azula had been standing at. He shook his head, his new reflections vanishing from his mind momentarily as he walked into the hallway, thinking about catching up to her and asking her for forgiveness after his lame performance. Yet when he arrived to the Grand Dome's vestibule he couldn't spot her anywhere.

"Hey, Wolf!" exclaimed Shoji from behind the counter.

Sokka turned to him, surprised. Maybe the boy had gotten the chance to see if the Princess had already walked by.

"I heard you won and I already made the calculations" said Shoji, smiling at Sokka when the gladiator approached him "Your new position is 402! Congratulations! It's not your definitive position, but it's a rough draft of what it'll be by the end of the week..."

"Uh, great" said Sokka, not caring much about his new rank "Did Azula walk by here at some point?"

"A-Az...?" mumbled the boy, astounded to hear someone speaking of the Princess in such familiar manner "Yeah, she left the Arena not too long ago. She kinda stormed off, though, so I couldn't tell her about your new position..."

"Huh..." Sokka sighed, and then he shook his head "Thanks. I'll see you around, I guess"

"See you!" replied the boy, cheerfully.

Sokka wasn't surprised when he exited the building to discover the palanquin was gone, it would have been far more impressive if it had still been there. He had no idea as to where he was in that large city, but he was fairly certain that he could make his way back to the Palace. Thankful for Piandao's insistence about having him remember every possible detail about anything, Sokka managed to reach the Fire Nation Royal Palace by walking through the same roads he had been led through by the carriage earlier. But when he arrived, he was greeted by a most unpleasant surprise.

The Captain of Azula's Royal Guards seemed to be staring at him, although Sokka couldn't tell for certain if he was or wasn't due to the mask covering his features. The man's arms were folded across his chest, his body language spoke clearly of irritation and disdain.

"Hi there, spooky guy" said Sokka "Sorry I took so long to get here. Is Azula down at the bay already and she forced you to wait for me here?"

"No" replied the guard, his voice deeper than Sokka recalled it to be "The Princess is extremely upset at you. I hadn't seen her so angry in a long time. She ordered me to take you to Shu Jing, and she will remain here, in the mainland"

"W-wait, WHAT?!" Sokka stammered, aghast "She ordered that?! Why?!"

"I would have guessed you understood the reasoning behind her actions. It speaks poorly of your wit if you don't realize she is thoroughly disappointed in you. You must have shamed her terribly during your fight at the Arena..."

"Wait, but that's just...! But she'd always go! Why should she...?"

"Back in the fight at Ember Island she had no choice but to take you back to Shu Jing, but she has no obligation to do the same thing on this occasion" replied the Captain "Which simplifies my job, seeing how I feel far more comfortable by taking you personally to Shu Jing while she stays safe in the Palace"

"B-but... I need to talk to her" Sokka blurted out suddenly "I have to... I have to make things right!"

The Captain raised an eyebrow, trying to process what the gladiator was saying. Just as Sokka attempted to convince the guard to let him see Azula again, a familiar carriage stopped at the edge of the Palace.

"What's the matter?" asked Ty Lee as she stepped down from the vehicle "Is something wrong, Sokka?"

The gladiator turned around, surprised at their arrival. Ty Lee walked towards them with Mai right behind them and they both seemed completely puzzled at the strange situation that was happening by the gates of the Palace.

"The Princess ordered me to take him back to Shu Jing" said the Captain "Though it seems he refuses to go"

"I… I have to talk to her, that's all I need!" Sokka begged "Just let me go to her for a little while, I have to…!"

"Whatever you need to say is irrelevant at this point, she said so herself" said the Captain, still firm upon obeying his orders.

"What's going on, though?" asked Ty Lee, still puzzled "Is she mad at you for some reason?"

"She… she wasn't happy with my performance in the fight" muttered Sokka, remorseful "She took it really badly"

"Why? You won!" said Ty Lee "Isn't that what matters the most?"

"It should be, seeing how she's the Princess and all…" said Sokka, sighing "But I did a few things she considered insulting because I didn't fight the Hornet as I should have…"

"Oh, she's upset at that?" asked Ty Lee, her eyes opening wide "But I thought it was such a gentlemanly thing to do!"

"Yeah, well…"

"She doesn't see it that way" said Mai, realizing immediately what caused Azula so much displeasure "What you did… I see. No wonder she's angry"

Sokka gulped, scared at the way the girl had read both him and Azula thoroughly without any difficulties. Ty Lee was still confused, but she shrugged.

"Well, if she's mad there's probably no way you'll get a chance to talk to her" said Ty Lee, shrugging "But we can get her a message from you if you want us to"

"W-what?" said Sokka, surprised "But I…"

"You're not going to get any luckier than this" said Mai, folding her arms "You only have one opportunity to get your words through to her at this point"

Sokka sighed and looked at the Captain, who seemed to approve of this course of action.

"You really won't let me talk to her, will you?" asked Sokka

"She ordered that you'd be taken away to Shu Jing as soon as possible, so no, I won't" said the Captain, firmly

"Damn… fine" said the gladiator, rolling his eyes in irritation as he turned to Mai and Ty Lee and gave them his message.

Azula was sitting in a living room of the Palace, her long nails tapping on a fine table as she tried to calm down her anger through a semi-meditative state. She shouldn't have been so gullible, so naïve to believe he was truly any different. What he said back then only had one meaning: he wouldn't have restrained from killing her because she was his enemy, she embodied everything he loathed and he would have welcomed with open arms the opportunity to slay the Fire Lord's daughter. She had been a fool to think he could have a different take upon the sexist issues that she kept trying to fight against… he was a man, after all, and a pretty shallow and dumb one at that, for all she knew. Why should he have been anything other than what he clearly was? She shook her head as her disappointment grew larger and larger… maybe she really should get herself another gladiator, a strong one who would simply kill anyone in his way, not someone she could have a complex relationship with but someone who would simply be her slave, nothing other than that. It was what she required, truly. She had been stupid to go for the very first option she had been presented with just because she thought he would be something different from what he was…

"Azula…?" said Ty Lee, knocking on the door. Azula's eyes flickered towards her quickly, and since she didn't say anything, both her friends entered the room.

"We ran into Sokka at the Palace gates" said Mai, making Azula's frown grow even deeper.

"He wanted to talk to you" said Ty Lee, smiling slightly

"But I have nothing to say to that imbecile" Azula replied, her voice coated with a venomous tinge "So spare me the lecture or whatever it is he wanted you to tell me"

"It wasn't a lecture…" said Ty Lee, but Azula shook her head.

"I don't want to hear it, Ty Lee" she declared, between gritted teeth.

"But…"

"It's not really something that will take so long to convey, Azula" said Mai "Fact is, you might even want to hear it even when you think you don't"

"Oh, please…" said Azula, rolling her eyes

"It's just one word" said Ty Lee, prompting Azula to turn to her, her glare still as fierce as it had been when she had been dealing with Sokka directly.

But Mai was the one to talk instead.

"Sorry" she muttered, staring at her nails without much interest in the subject at all.

"What?" said Azula, taken by surprise, her frown losing its rage and earning a quality of utter confusion.

"That's the message" said Ty Lee, smiling "He just wanted to say 'sorry'"

Azula's eyes were still blazing with anger, but now she was extremely perplexed. He was sorry? He regretted what he'd done…?


	16. Chapter 16

Azula spent several days pondering over her situation with Sokka. Even after two weeks of deliberation she was still unsure as to what to do. Should she drop him as her gladiator and seek out someone more suitable to her interests? She rather doubted she would find anyone better, though. Ever since their first meeting she had known this man would be a handful, and he had proven her right, and this was one of the reasons why she had grown to appreciate him as her gladiator: he exceeded anyone's expectations, just like she did.

But that strange bond between them was growing weaker as it became strained due to their conflicting views on the world. She hadn't even noticed that she had hopes to find in him an ally rather than a subordinate, but the better she got to know him, the more she realized those aspirations would never come true. He wasn't what she needed, what she had wanted him to be, it was as simple as that. But damn, he had been so close... so close that she didn't think she would find anyone more suitable for the role of her gladiator. It didn't matter where she looked, she was completely certain that nobody would outmatch Sokka.

But what was she to do with this predicament? He was almost what she needed, almost... yet he had screwed everything up. How could she keep him around after being completely disappointed by him? She had succeeded in using him to get rid of Chan, but after their two arguments she was certain that the other purpose she kept him around for was something she couldn't fulfill through him. It was somewhat sad that they'd had such a short run as sponsor and gladiator… but she couldn't care less anymore, or so she wanted to force herself to believe. She had always used other people to reach her ends, and when they weren't useful anymore, she discarded them. She would simply do the same with him.

After reaching this conclusion, she decided to head off to the Grand Royal Dome. Surely other people would think it odd that she'd write in a Gladiator for only two fights to withdraw him right away, but nobody was about to question a Princess's decision. She was perfectly entitled to do as she pleased with her life and the life of whatever slaves she had in her power, and nothing anyone else said about it would matter.

Still, her firm determination wavered as soon as the boy behind the counter identified her when she walked through the vestibule towards him.

"Princess!" he exclaimed, smiling broadly. Azula felt slightly uncomfortable at the strange familiarity he seemed to have developed with her.

"Good day, Shoji" she muttered when she reached the counter, her innards boiling as she realized she was about to take a grand step to change the current course of her life… and she had no clue if it would be for the better or the worst, but she hoped for the former "I wanted to…"

"Wait, wait!" said Shoji, turning around as he searched for something within some drawers.

Azula frowned and folded her arms across her chest, wondering what on earth could be so important that Shoji would keep her waiting like this. Was he about to hand her over a love letter or something of the sort? Seeing how he was searching through stacks of paper, she figured he might. Would it be too cruel to burn said letter in front of him if he actually handed her one? She rather doubted it.

"It was right about… damn, I knew I had to keep these organized, but I dozed off and I forgot…" he grunted, still going through several sheets as he gritted his teeth, still searching.

Azula let out a groan of exasperation, rubbing her forehead as she tried to search within her soul for the patience she knew she didn't have. What was she doing? Why was she even waiting for him as he had requested?

"Shoji, would you quit rummaging for a second and listen to what I came to…?"

"HERE!" squealed the boy, ignoring her, to her utter annoyance.

But to Azula's interest, he had a piece of paper in his hand that had nothing to do with a love letter. It was a gladiator challenge.

"Someone wrote this for you yesterday" said Shoji, grinning "Here you go"

Azula took the paper when the boy handed it to her, and she frowned as she read the name of the challenger.

"The Blind Bandit" she muttered, thoughtful "That rings a bell"

"It does because she got signed up just a little after you were done with your procedures" said Shoji, smiling "Remember that man with the black and sleazy hair? He was very buff, and he looked pretty stupid to me…"

"Yes… I recall them" said Azula, thoughtful "Then… was that little girl his gladiator?"

"Yeah, she is" said Shoji, gulping "And she's a handful, let me tell you that. She's already fought five times, and she's aced every fight. Knocked out every opponent she has faced off against"

"Really, now?" said Azula, growing interested "Then I assume she's not actually blind… that doesn't sound like something a blind person can do"

"It doesn't sound like it, that's true" said Shoji, shrugging "But she looks blind to me. I have no idea how she fights or how she walks without running into walls, but she's managed to win so far… she's not the type of fighter anyone should underestimate"

"I see" said Azula, tapping her chin with a finger "What position is she in?"

"So far, she's the 427th" said Shoji "She doesn't have much value yet, but I think she'll earn it eventually. She keeps acing fights, so I wouldn't put it past her…"

"And my gladiator's position…?"

"403" replied Shoji, grinning "I think it'd be a worthwhile fight. According to what some of the Arena's analysts have calculated, both your gladiator and the Blind Bandit are the most promising newcomers of the latest batch of rookies. It would be interesting if they were to fight one another, I think…"

Azula read the challenge once again, thoughtful. The Blind Bandit's sponsor proposed a bid of 20,000 yuans, and the fight was to be held in the Grand Royal Dome. The date the other sponsor had set had been two weeks from now, which made Azula frown.

"I don't agree with the date" she grunted "I don't think I'd be ready for a fight in such a short time span"

"Seeing how he set most the conditions, I rather doubt he'll mind if you ask for a different day" said Shoji, grinning "You can send him a response with another date and he'll likely agree to that"

"If that's the case, send…" she started, stopping on her tracks as she spoke. Hadn't she come here to write herself out of the tournament? What was she doing? She couldn't accept a challenge if she was going to drop her gladiator…

But truth to be told, it felt like such a waste… he had said he was sorry, after all. Maybe giving him another chance wouldn't be such a bad idea. She sighed at the struggle within her head, one side of her mind asking her to forget about this entire endeavor while the other encouraged her to see this through to the end. But… what did 'seeing this to the end' mean, though? For all she had decided earlier, this was the end. She was here for the sole purpose of dropping her position as a sponsor, she hadn't come expecting a challenge nor had she been interested in seeking a new fight for herself… she had come to give this an end. And she wanted to end it… at least, she had wanted to do it before. But her determination wavered immediately as she wondered if it wasn't such a bad idea to take a last shot at the Gladiator business. She folded her arms again, deep in thought, as Shoji eyed her with confusion and interest, completely unaware of the squabble within Azula's mind.

"What… do you want me to send?" he asked, with fear of interrupting her.

Azula sighed and shook her head. She was truly a fool, wasn't she…?

"Let the Bandit's sponsor know that I will only fight him in four weeks, no less. I will agree to the other conditions"

"Great!" said Shoji, grinning as he began scribbling in a piece of paper Azula's response to the Blind Bandit's sponsor "Uh… was there something you wanted to say before, though?"

The boy looked up at her again and beamed at her in a very friendly manner. Azula felt sick at the sight.

"No, not particularly" she lied, her hands on her hips "This is all there is to what I came here for. I'll see you later, Shoji. If the sponsor doesn't agree to my conditions, send a messenger hawk to the Palace and let me know"

"I will surely do so, Princess!" said the boy, enthusiastic "See you!"

Azula turned around and allowed herself to let out a very deep sigh. She was already regretting her decision and she knew she'd find herself regretting it more as time passed her by… but this was the final stretch. If Sokka didn't keep to her expectations, she would throw him away. If he refused to fight the Blind Bandit under some ridiculous pretense once more, she would have nothing more to do with him and she would seek a method to reach her goals that wouldn't involve a savage who knew nothing about his place in this world…

Piandao been practicing his calligraphy for several hours when he heard somebody knocking on the door. Fat headed to the gates while Piandao allowed himself a small smile, knowing already that the new arrival could be none other than his pupil. He continued dipping the brush in ink while holding his long sleeve out of the way with one hand, and he drew several words elegantly on the paper.

He hadn't planned on stopping his motions when Sokka entered the room, but he had no choice other than to do so when his student dropped to his knees in front of him, looking defeated. Piandao looked at him in surprise, the ink on his pen splattering over the paper he had been writing on.

"Sokka?" he asked. The Water Tribe man seemed to have gotten a few wounds out of his last match, but Piandao didn't think they were the cause of his downcast demeanor.

"Master…" muttered Sokka, with a sigh "I'm back"

"I can see that" said Piandao "Yet you look as if you'd returned from a war you'd lost"

"I might as well have" said Sokka, still not looking up at Piandao.

The sword master frowned as his mind attempted to unravel the mystery in front of him. There could be several reasons to explain why his student had returned looking miserable and defeated… and all of them pointed towards the same direction.

"What did she do to you now?"

Sokka didn't even seem surprised when Piandao managed to identify his problem with such ease. He looked up at him, not knowing where to start.

"I just… did something pretty stupid, I guess" he muttered "And she got really mad at me. She even threatened to kill me off and all…"

"Did she, now?" asked Piandao, wincing "What exactly did you do, Sokka?"

"I just… offended her, I guess"

Piandao wanted to keep a positive mind about this, but it was proving far more difficult than he had envisioned. It was very hard not to misinterpret Sokka's words… and to be honest, he had no idea if he would be misunderstanding at all. All clues seemed to add up… had he tried to make a pass at the Princess?

"What exactly did you do, Sokka? Please don't tell me you…"

"I… what, sir?" asked Sokka innocently. Piandao gritted his teeth, realizing Sokka would never dare to try anything lowly with the Princess… or at least, he hoped he wouldn't. He was too clueless to attempt something of the sort, wasn't he?

"I'd rather you spoke clearly than conjure up explanations that might be completely wrong" said Piandao, gulping.

"Well… you see, I kinda messed up in my fight" he muttered.

"You lost? Is that it?"

"No, no… in fact, I won" replied Sokka, to Piandao's surprise.

"Then… why is she upset?"

"Because I could have lost" said Sokka, sighing "I had the victory in the bag, pretty much… and I nearly lost it because I refused to fight halfway through"

"You… refused to fight?" asked Piandao, frowning.

"S-she never told me my opponent would be a girl!" yelled Sokka, folding his arms "It was really her fault! I was doing fine until I realized I was going against a girl! I mean, if she had told me before…"

"Wait…" said Piandao, confused "I don't understand any of this. How come did you have the fight 'in the bag' until you realized you were fighting a girl? Didn't you see she was one since the beginning?"

"The thing is, she didn't look like a girl" said Sokka, sighing "I saw her and I was certain she was a boy, but later she yelled at me that she was a girl, and… and I just refused to fight. I pretty much won because those judges are crazy…"

"Perhaps they realized you were far more talented than your opponent" suggested Piandao, shrugging.

"Maybe" said Sokka, crossing his legs in front of him "Still, nobody thought I'd get the win… and she said I had ashamed her with this whole mess, pretty much. Also… she was really mad because I refused to fight a girl"

"I imagine she must have been very displeased at that" said Piandao, placing his brush on the table as he focused his entire attention on Sokka.

"Still… wasn't it the right thing to do?" asked Sokka, grimacing "I mean… I was always told not to hurt girls… Is it really wrong to avoid hurting them? Or is she wrong again, as I suspect she is…?"

Piandao sighed and stood up, turning to Fat.

"Would you be so kind to fix us a cup of tea, Fat?"

"Of course, master" said Fat, bowing curtly as he headed to the kitchen.

"Sir…?" asked Sokka, gulping.

"This is a very tricky matter, Sokka" admitted Piandao "And I'm not entirely certain of how to address it. So, I believe we should meditate about this at length"

Sokka didn't care much for meditation, but still he nodded, glad to discover his master was willing to help him out in this predicament.

Half an hour later, they both sat in the garden while watching the sunset, their cups of tea firmly gripped in their hands. Sokka hadn't done much more than look at his beverage, and Piandao took notice of this.

"Drink up, Sokka. It will help clear your mind" he said, and Sokka obeyed him unwillingly, taking a small gulp "Now… please explain the situation clearly to me"

"What else is there to explain?" said Sokka, sighing "I was fighting that girl without knowing she was a girl, and when I found out she was one, I refused to continue because I didn't want to hurt her. I won because apparently I was far more efficient than she was… so the judges gave me the win, but Azula was completely against it. When I was out of the sand pit, she came to me asking me why I'd done that. I told her what I already said to you, I was taught to be careful with girls and never hurt them, but she took it all the wrong way…"

"Did she, now?" asked Piandao "What other reaction did you expect from her, though?"

"W-what do you mean, what reaction did I expect from her?" asked Sokka, blinking blankly.

"You thought a powerful woman like herself would think your decision was completely plausible? To say you wouldn't hurt women… I can only imagine how angry she must have been"

"But why?! I just don't get it!" said Sokka, sighing in exasperation.

"Listen, Sokka. Princess Azula is one of the first females born in the Royal Family in a very long time. In past times, each and every princess with the obligation of becoming the heir to the throne has been forced to marry a nobleman of high standing, and said man would become Fire Lord while the Princess is relinquished to the position of Fire Lady. Why do you believe this has happened?"

"W-well… because it's tradition, I assume" said Sokka, shrugging

"It is. But why do you believe said tradition exists?"

"Okay, sir… I'll let you know I'm no use with philosophical matters like this" said Sokka, grimacing "So it's easier if you just get to the point…"

"It's because females, since the beginning of time, have been forced into mundane and frivolous tasks that men consider themselves too superior to undertake. Women have been considered inferior for no apparent reason… probably only because men felt the need to control everything and prove their superiority. Women didn't fight back, thinking such a quarrel was pointless, and ever since they have been neglected and disdained"

"Wait… what?" said Sokka, even more confused.

"A female heir will be the last possible successor to the throne" said Piandao, drinking his tea "Doesn't that tell you anything, Sokka? Doesn't it enlighten her situation in the slightest?"

"W-well…" muttered Sokka, frowning "Maybe…"

"She has always wanted to prove her worth, to demonstrate she is above the limitations others have imposed upon her solely because of her condition of being a woman. If she were a man, most her troubles would be out of the way. She would be the absolute heir, her father would have declared so by now, and there would be nobody to force her to take a husband, which is something she probably has had to endure already"

Sokka frowned as he took in his master's words. She had been engaged to Chan against her will, and she had been forced to resort to the gladiator business to shake off that arrangement. There were likely a lot more pressures in being a woman in a position of power, far more than Sokka ever imagined there would be.

"I recall the first time I met her" Piandao said, thoughtful "She was a very determined little thing, absolutely devoted to proving she could outdo anyone. She was only four years old at the time, I believe, but within her childish ways there was also a certain spark I don't recall having seen in another person ever before. She strived to prove herself… yet her mother didn't allow her to do so"

Sokka nodded, recalling Azula had already spoken to him about this particular episode in her life.

"Her very own mother" said Piandao, sighing "One would believe it should be otherwise, yet it wasn't. Fire Lord Ozai, who was only a Prince at the moment, was absolutely willing to let his daughter learn the ways of the sword, he encouraged her far more than he ever encouraged her brother Zuko… which I thought was quite unusual. But his wife… she refused. She insisted that her daughter had no business getting involved in the darker side of the world, that learning fighting arts was something a Princess shouldn't be involved with. Some women have grown so used to the position they are in that they don't see that nothing makes them inferior to men, nothing forces them to stay home knitting rather than taking a weapon to head out into battle other than their own drive. The main problem, though, is that they don't care about it. They don't mind being labeled and settled into an inferior position. They are comfortable enough, so they don't mind their situation at all"

"Really…?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "I mean… I always thought men were stronger than women… and that's why they fight each other and use their strength to protect women"

"Do you truly believe yourself to be stronger than Princess Azula?" asked Piandao, making Sokka choke up in his cup of tea.

"No… of course not" said Sokka, wiping his mouth with his sleeve "That's why I… why I didn't refuse fighting her back when I first met her. I mean… I don't know what came over me back then, but I just forgot all about my usual ways when facing off against her. Maybe it was the urgency of what I had to do… maybe it was that, upon the opportunity of taking her as a hostage and using her to our advantage, I didn't care at all about her being a woman… or maybe it was my hatred for the Fire Nation that blinded me, so I would ignore all circumstances completely. She was the enemy, so I had to fight her no matter what…"

"And don't you consider your fellow gladiators to be your enemies too, in a way?" asked Piandao, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I… I don't know" admitted Sokka, sighing.

"Considering women as people who need to be protected… it isn't completely wrong, yet it isn't right" said Piandao "There are women who might need and want protection, but there are many who can stand up for themselves and who would rather fight their own battles. You should simply respect women, above everything else. It isn't a matter of protecting them, it's a matter of respecting them"

"But… but I don't want to fight girls, sir!" said Sokka, grimacing

"What makes it so different from fighting men?" asked Piandao, raising an eyebrow

"I… I don't know, but they're girls" said Sokka, sighing "I just don't like the thought of damaging people overall. And if it's girls… I'm sorry sir, but this is actually my way of respecting women. By refusing to fight them"

"Then I assume you will never get to the Princess's good side" said Piandao, shrugging and making Sokka wince.

"W-wait… what?"

"Princess Azula is not simply a girl, Sokka. She is far more than that. She isn't only a Princess either, she is also a warrior. She is a woman destined to rule… yet she has never been truly respected by any man. They might fear her, since her fighting prowess is beyond anything seen in this nation for a very long time, but they still look down upon her because she is a woman. Prince Zuko has been banished for almost ten years now, yet if you ask almost anyone, you will see that the people of the Fire Nation are waiting for him to return with the Avatar so that his father will reinstate his birthright. They have almost taken for granted that he will become Fire Lord, that the Princess has no opportunity to earn said position. And why is that? Because she is a girl, there is no other reason than that. Yet you didn't seem to mind back when you first met her, and that might have been the reason why she seemed to trust you would become the best gladiator she could sponsor. How do you believe she must have felt when the very man who stood up to her and fought her even though he knew he would lose suddenly claims that he refuses to hurt women because his moral code forbids him to do so?"

"I don't… I mean, I think I get that, but…" said Sokka

"Azula has an ulterior motive to get you to the top of the ranking, does she not?" said Piandao, taking another sip from his tea.

"Apparently" said Sokka, gulping "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing in particular" replied Piandao, smiling and making Sokka frown "Very well, then. The important part in this is that you know that distinguishing between men and women by claiming the latter are to be protected is a foolish thing to do, Sokka. I'm would bet my finest sword that if you attempt to protect the Princess against her will, she'll strike you with a fire fist that will ensure you never attempt to protect her ever again. Some women don't seek protection… they seek the means to prove their own worth, just like most men do. Bringing them down by treating them as weaker or inferior… that isn't a swordsman's way of living"

"I guess not" said Sokka, sighing.

"There are many women, not just the Princess, who might end up taking your life if you ever do so much as hesitate to fight them. Female warriors deserve just as much praise as any men, no matter if they are gladiators, benders or soldiers. And it is a part of the honor code of warriors to respect your opponent by fighting him or her to your utmost. Lowering your fighting level to even theirs is also seen as a disrespect as severe as refusing to fight overall. You must understand, Sokka, that your honor binds you to fight anyone who goes against you, and you mustn't hold back no matter what. You might end up killing your rivals again, which would truly be pitiable, but slaying a man after giving him the fight of his life is a far more dignified action than holding back to make the combat far more balanced than it would be if you fought to your full potential. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I… I guess I do" said Sokka, sighing "Still, I'm not comfortable with fighting girls. But I guess I have no choice other than fighting them if that's what I'm supposed to do"

"Don't think of it as fighting girls, Sokka… think of it as fighting a worthy gladiator" said Piandao, nodding "They are in the Superior Gladiator League for a reason, aren't they?"

Sokka blinked and scratched his head in slight confusion.

"Well, you're right about that part, I guess…"

Piandao grinned and looked over at Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"You haven't drunk your tea…"

"Oh! Uh, yeah, I'll get to that now!" said Sokka, flashing him a guilty smile as he downed the liquid with a single gulp.

Piandao patted him on the shoulder when Sokka was done with wiping his mouth.

"Are you better now, Sokka?"

"I'm still… troubled, I guess" said Sokka, sighing "Though in a way, I guess it had to come to this. Back when she stormed off on me, I felt like I should apologize even though I wasn't quite sure what I would have been apologizing for. At least now I know why I would say sorry… do you really think she's got such a big conflict going on, though? Do you really think… she's struggling because she's a girl?"

"I've watched her carefully enough to believe so" said Piandao "And you would notice it too if you paid more attention, Sokka. I understand your life has been very turbulent and difficult… but even though she doesn't seem to have suffered through any of the issues that assaulted you, the Princess has a fair share of problems of her own. It would do your relationship good if you took that into account while dealing with her"

"Our… relationship?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"You are her gladiator, aren't you?" asked Piandao "There is a bond between the two of you, a bond that I can hardly fathom, only the two of you can grasp its true meaning. You aren't enemies, yet you aren't friends. You are allies, yet surprisingly often it seems you stand against each other. Still, she seems to think highly of you; at least, she did before your latest argument. It would actually seem that she thought of you as her equal, in some form… at least, she seems to believe you have the potential to uphold her expectations. And I believe she is absolutely right to think this way"

"Wait, how could you possibly know what she thinks of me?!" squealed Sokka, surprised.

"Oh, just call it an old man's intuition" said Piandao, beaming.

"But you're not even that old!" yelled Sokka, making his master laugh as he stood up.

"You have a long road ahead of you, Sokka" said Piandao, still grinning "But I'm certain you are in the right path. You will likely see the results of your hard work eventually if you keep this up"

"Wait, what?" said Sokka, completely baffled "What are you talking about now, master?!"

Piandao simply smiled as he walked away, taking his empty cup to the kitchen. Sokka glared at his shrinking figure as he sighed in irritation.

So… it seemed he had been on the wrong side of the discussion this time. He didn't like being wrong, but he couldn't help it if he was. He still didn't like the thought of hurting girls, but then again, he simply didn't like the thought of hurting anyone. He had been faced with no choice but to kill his opponents in the Amateur League, and he had done it even though it felt like he was allowing his identity to be destroyed through those murders. But he was still himself, wasn't he? He had changed slightly over time, but he was still Sokka of the Water Tribe…

He smiled to himself at the thought. It had been a long time since he had thought of his identity in such a proud manner. Indeed, he was still himself, despite all the pain he had been put through. Said pain had actually helped him become a better man… perhaps this particular matter could help him also.

Maybe his Tribe's ways weren't entirely wrong, and protecting others wasn't such a bad thing to do… but he had learned a valuable lesson: he had to respect his enemies just as much as he respected his allies. And this didn't mean ignoring the circumstances of his opponent… it meant that he had to acknowledge them instead. A woman who had the courage to stand up for herself in a world that would seek to bring her down was truly worth respecting, and if she sought out a fight with him, he would give her the best combat he could muster. He would do his best not to kill anyone else, though… but regardless, he would fight. He had finally found his own resolution as a swordsman.

Piandao seemed pleased when he caught sight of Sokka again during dinner. The gladiator seemed to have forsaken a great amount of the troubles that had clouded his mind for a while now. Piandao was certain that he had come to open his mind and now he had come to understand a little more about the ways of a truly noble warrior…

Sokka spent the next days training without any breaks. Piandao was once again impressed over his progress, since now he was forced to struggle a lot while fighting against Sokka on even terms. The Water Tribe man was a lot more stern than he usually was, probably still worried about his situation with his sponsor, but he had come to the firm decision that, as soon as he saw her, he would apologize and promise he would fight properly from now on. He had no idea if that would be enough to normalize their relationship, since Azula had been mad enough to curse at him, but it was the least he could do…

Azula arrived to Shu Jing several weeks later, dreading the moment she would come to be face to face with her fighter once again. Fat opened the gates just as she began thinking she should simply turn around and run away from the mansion at the fastest speed her feet could carry her. She hadn't seen him for quite a long time, yet once again she had found herself unable to keep him out of her thoughts for longer than an hour. She felt like a fool for holding on to that single word he had sent to her through Mai and Ty Lee, 'sorry'… all she hoped for was that said apology had been truly heartfelt. And she was just about to find out if it had been when she told him about his new opponent…

But her mind became completely blank when she caught sight of Sokka once again.

No, he wasn't inappropriately shirtless this time, which relieved and a disappointed her at the same time. On this occasion, he was fighting Piandao…

And he was winning.

Sokka's stabs were extremely fast paced, he allowed no openings at all. His defense seemed completely flawless. It would seem that the fight was to be determined by whoever gave up first.

Piandao found himself besieged; keeping his footing wasn't an easy feat to accomplish. Sokka's jabs were overwhelming, they didn't relent no matter how Piandao attempted to push him away. To Azula, it seemed they were both around the same level of skill… yet Sokka's superior agility and strength could be used by the gladiator to overcome his master.

And after several more clashes of their swords, Sokka managed to twirl Piandao's silver blade away with his black one, rendering him weaponless and forcing him to surrender when the tip of Space Sword was touching the man's neck in a dangerous fashion.

"That's three out of five now, master" said Sokka, smiling smugly "How about it?"

Piandao grinned as Sokka placed his sword in his scabbard again.

"It would seem you have accomplished the unthinkable… surpassing your master in a matter of months. I have no idea if I should feel proud of you or disappointed in myself. Perhaps I've lost my touch"

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, sir" said Sokka, chuckling.

It was then that he turned around and saw the Princess standing at the house's balcony, watching them both with an unfathomable expression on her face. Little did he know that she was in fact thoroughly impressed by him, that her heart was actually beating a little faster than before now that they had made eye contact. Anxiety began making its way through her, yet she attempted to keep a completely calm façade… and to her utmost pride, she managed to achieve said goal.

"Az-…" muttered Sokka, feeling a dreadful pit opening up in the middle of his chest. He had been waiting to meet her again, but now that she was standing only a few meters away from him he realized he didn't know what to say.

"That was… unexpected" was Azula's claim before she turned to Piandao "Is he really this skillful or is old age getting to you already?"

"You are as subtle as ever, Princess" said Piandao, wiping the sweat on his brow with a towel "I cannot say for certain if I've grown weaker over time, but I can assure you that your gladiator has progressed to the extent that he can battle me on even terms and defeat me when he has his mind set upon it"

Azula looked at Sokka again, her eyes growing cold as she studied him. She didn't want to believe Piandao's words, they would simply make it more difficult for her to let go of the illusion of having such a talented warrior as her personal gladiator. Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to believe in said illusion… for now, at least.

"I hope your assertions are correct, sword master" said Azula, dropping a bag of money on the floor "Clearly enough, I'm not here to stay around and chat. The slave has a new fight"

"Right" said Sokka, gulping. Piandao had been looking at the bag in the floor with some displeasure before realizing Sokka was already starting off behind his sponsor.

"Sokka… wait" he said, startling both his student and the Princess.

"Is something wrong?" asked Sokka, taken by surprise.

"I merely wished to… to let you know you truly are the most talented man I have ever trained" said Piandao, smiling kindly "You will certainly become a far more skilled master than I am and in a far shorter time span too, if you keep true to your honor as a warrior. Do not forget who you are, Sokka, and don't forget all the circumstances that have molded you into the man you are today. You are truly remarkable in many ways, and you ought not to forget this. You can achieve anything as long as you put your mind to it"

"Uh… right" said Sokka, surprised at the man's speech

"Also… don't be too hot-headed" said Piandao, chuckling "If certain urges strike you, you shouldn't submit yourself to them until you have assessed them completely. You have the potential that not many men hold to turn this world into a better place… yet it's unlikely you will accomplish this through conventional means. You might have to step out of certain boundaries to do so… and you must think it thoroughly before taking risks of any sort. Promise me you will do so"

"W-what?" said Sokka, blinking repeatedly in surprise "I don't really understand what you want to make me to promise, but… okay. I promise."

Piandao smiled at the cluelessness of the man and prompted him to go after Azula with a jerk of his head. The Princess hadn't stopped to listen to whatever Piandao's advice to Sokka was; she was already on her way to the doors.

"See you later, master!" said Sokka, running after her.

Azula was already outside the main building by the time Sokka managed to reach her. He wasn't feeling too prone to calling out her name… so he simply placed a hand on her shoulder when he was close enough to her.

The Princess frowned instantly at his touch, and Sokka retrieved his hand quickly, realizing that might have been out of bounds. Azula stopped and turned around, still looking as cold as ever.

"Uh… Azula…" muttered Sokka, gulping as he tried to find the right words in his head.

"What do you want?" grunted the Princess, clearly annoyed.

"I just wanted to say… that I'm sorry" said Sokka, bowing down to her. Azula couldn't conceal her surprise at this gesture "What I did back then… I didn't understand what was at stake. Even now, I'm not entirely certain of what it meant to you when I refused to fight a girl… but I can assure you that won't happen again. I've come to grasp some big realizations after this incident, and I will make sure I don't stray from the right path this time"

Azula frowned and folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh, really?"

"I meant every word I said" muttered Sokka, nodding as he lifted his head.

"Such a noble gladiator" said Azula, still not lowering her guard "Then I assume you won't mind to be fighting another girl this time, or will you?"

Sokka was taken aback by this sudden claim. He frowned at the Princess.

"Another…?" he muttered, before shaking his head "Not a problem. I will fight her. I guarantee it"

"You'd better" said Azula, glaring at him "Because I've decided this is the last opportunity you'll get to prove your worth. To be honest, I have no idea where did my sudden generosity outburst come from, but you are getting another chance to make things right. Make sure you don't waste it"

"I won't" said Sokka, still as stern and serious as before. His unusual demeanor was putting Azula off slightly.

"Very well, then" she said, walking off towards the door again, with him at her heels "Although… I did forget to say that your opponent is handicapped"

"What?" said Sokka, frowning

"She's called the Blind Bandit" said Azula, making Sokka jump

"HUH?! She's blind?! B-but… wait. You challenged her because she's really high in the ranking and you thought it'd be interesting to fight her… right?"

"No" said Azula, curtly "She's even below you in the ranking"

"But in that case, why am I fighting her?!" asked Sokka, shocked "Did you do this to probe my resolve or something…?"

"Not at all" said Azula "The Bandit's sponsor was the one to send out the challenge towards us. The girl has a perfect victory streak, and she has fought more times than you have. I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you"

"But… how can she fight if she's blind?" asked Sokka, confused

"I have absolutely no idea, but you'll find out when you're facing her" said Azula "Also, she's an earthbender"

"Earthbender…" said Sokka, thoughtful "I've never fought one of those before"

"And it was about time you did…" said Azula, as he opened the gates and they both walked outside Piandao's mansion while they both kept chatting about Sokka's next fight.

Piandao watched them walk away from a hall in his palace that provided him with a perfect view to the mansion's doors. He found himself sighing, yet smiling as well. Once they were out of sight, he re-read the paper he was groping in his hands, a letter that had arrived only a few days before.

"Everything is ready, sir" said Fat, walking into the room "When will we depart?"

"At midnight, Fat. Take some leisure time now; we must avoid being seen by anyone when we take our leave"

Fat bowed and left the room, and Piandao sighed again. He would most certainly miss this place. He walked off towards another particular room of the mansion, the messiest one in the entire house. It was Sokka's room. Piandao slid his hand inside his long sleeve; he was holding a circular wooden piece when he took his hand out again. The pattern drawn over it had a very deep meaning that Sokka wouldn't understand just yet, but it was the sole thing Piandao dared to leave behind as a message for him.

He placed the White Lotus tile on top of Sokka's nightstand before turning around and leaving the room, knowing this would be his last time ever in the magnificent palace he had called home for quite a long time…

**Sorry for the extremely long delay on this particular chapter, I think many of you had been waiting on the edge of your seats and I took waaaay longer than usual with this, but here it is at last! The next chapter, hopefully, will be up sooner even though it's bound to be extremely long… anyways, sorry for the delay again, hopefully it won't happen again!**

**Also, I wanted to invite you all to take part in the Sokkla Week, which will span out from June 24****th**** to the 30****th****, you can go on tumblr and participate there, search for the Sokkla tag and you will find all guidelines there. Any fanarts or fanfiction would be deeply appreciated! Thanks in advance for your collaboration! ^^**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! Here you have**** the longest chapter I've written for Gladiator so far! ^^**

**But before you get down to business…**

**I'm making this Author Note mostly to say a little something to my mysterious guest reviewers, whom I appreciate just as much as any ****registred**** reviewer, but there's a little thing I want you guys to know****:**** if you ask me**** complex**** questions in**** your**** guest reviews, there's practically no way you'll get ****an answer**** from me. I**** won't avoid this by**** disabl****ing**** anonymous reviews, ****because ****I'm happy with any sort of feedback, but hey… if you ask me questions and you want me to answer, then log on or register so that I can actually address your concerns, because I can't do it through an Author Note**** or any other means****.**

**Now that's settled****, thanks for all the reviews I've gotten so far****! Gladiator**** is already over 200 reviews! So thank you very much for all the support, it's what keeps this story running**** and my fingers typing****! ^^**** I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

The ship slowed down gradually as it approached the port. The crew kept running around back and forth, shouting out orders at each other as they tried to contain their excitement somehow. Reaching the docks of the Capital after ten years of sailing was a dream come true for them.

Everyone thanked the old-timer for this, of course. General Iroh had spent around ten months telling his nephew that using up more than a decade to chase after someone who had been gone for over a hundred years was a complete waste of time and efforts. Regardless, Zuko had remained stubbornly fixated on his goal, and he had insisted they should keep searching… but Iroh understood why his nephew was unwilling to interrupt his goose chase.

Ten years had passed already since that tragic Agni Kai had scarred Zuko for life. The Banished Prince had become a very cold and ruthless man, although he still behaved like a terrified kid in many circumstances: the sole thought of seeing his father again filled his mind with fears Zuko didn't know how to control. He hadn't discovered how to control them during his twenty-three years of life.

Iroh had managed to convince him, though, that returning home was the safest action they could take, and if Ozai had anything to say upon the matter, it would be Iroh whom he would have to face about this. With this, Zuko had grown a little more enthusiastic about the idea, but not enough for him to look forward to his return to the Fire Nation Capital. He was currently brooding in his room, secluded from the crew. He had been behaving this way ever since he heard they would be reaching port.

Regardless, Iroh felt no need to go to him. He knew that his nephew would appreciate spending some time alone, and if he wasn't ready to jump into the solid tropical grounds of the Fire Nation yet, then so be it… but Iroh wasn't about to delay his return home in solidarity with his nephew. He had thrived to go back ever since he had sent out a messenger hawk to the Fire Nation's High Council, requesting for Zuko's banishment to be ceased, and his excitement had grown when he had obtained the positive response he hadn't been entirely certain he would receive. He suspected his younger brother Ozai hadn't been pleased at all about having his son return empty-handed from his banishment, but it would seem the Council members convinced him somehow that his heir had already been dealing with his punishment long enough.

Iroh beamed and his belly joggled as he laughed happily at the sight of the port. Ships of several kinds were being stocked up by their crews while others were unloaded. There were soldiers anywhere he looked, and a group of them helped to tie their ship to the dock.

"We are far behind times, aren't we?" said Iroh to nobody in particular as he looked at the magnificent vessels nearby and compared them to the old, rusty ship they had been sailing in for over ten years. They hadn't bothered with cleaning up the barnacles that were attached to the bottom of the ship after one of their men had cut himself with one of the shells of the creatures. The wound had grown infected to the point that they had been forced to cut his hand off to avoid having him die painfully… though the man was currently whining about living painfully. Iroh wondered at times if it wouldn't have been kinder to let him die instead: they would have spared him from the pain and spared the rest of the crew of his complaints.

"We will proceed to unload all the cargo now, sir" said the ship's captain, reporting to Iroh.

"Oh, very good" said Iroh, still smiling "Make sure you are very careful with my jasmine tea supplies and my teapots"

"We will be, sir" said the captain, nodding and bowing down.

Iroh was already quite elderly, but even if he had still been in his younger years, he wouldn't have gotten involved in the hassle of unloading the ship's goods. He had many traits that set him apart from the rest of the royalty since he would often be willing to take part in commoners' activities, but even so, he wasn't about to strain himself with something as boring as unloading the ship. Rather, he felt like getting off the deck already so that he could enjoy his return home to the fullest.

And so, he walked down the ship's ramp as soon as it was lowered over the wooden dock. Bystanders would stare at him in surprise, recognizing him as the Fire Lord's brother; it would seem that hardly anyone had been informed that Prince Zuko and his uncle would be returning home. Iroh waved at whoever stared at him for too long, and they would immediately return to their duties, slightly ashamed. Iroh merely chuckled at this as he looked around, curious to discover who owned the other ships that were getting unloaded at the moment.

He caught sight of a few navy ships and three civilian vessels, and he didn't identify any of the people involved in the discharging of their goods… but when he turned to the last ship docked at the harbor, he was greeted with a very curious surprise.

"Make sure to restock quickly!" yelled a Royal Guard, walking up the ramp towards a Royal Barge "The Princess won't tolerate any tardiness! We must be ready to take off as soon as possible!"

Iroh found himself smirking as he wondered why Princess Azula would be in such a hurry to get someplace. Indeed, she no longer would be the eleven-year-old he had last seen before he took off in this trip with Zuko, but regardless, he found it very unusual that Azula would have the need to travel anywhere.

"What a handsome barge" he said, smiling as he stopped by the ramp of the Princess's ship "They didn't make them like this before my departure"

One of the Royal Guards stumbled when he caught sight of the older man, taken by surprise by his presence. The Dragon of the West hadn't been seen in the Capital in over a decade… and he was strolling about as if he had never been gone in the first place.

"G-General Iroh, sir!" said the man, kneeling in his direction "G-good day to you!"

Iroh found the guard's lack of appropriate words to be quite amusing.

"A good day to you, also. Would you be so kind as to answer my question?"

"Uh… sure thing, sir" said the guard, raising his head.

"Why does my niece need to travel somewhere?" he asked, inquisitive.

The guard was taken aback by this inquiry, but seeing how it was a Royal Family member who was asking the question, he didn't hesitate about answering.

"Well, I don't quite understand the full extent of the circumstances…" said the guard, honestly "But she often travels to Shu Jing and back again because she has taken upon sponsoring a gladiator in the Superior Gladiator League"

"Oh… that is truly unexpected" said Iroh, surprised "A gladiator? Are women allowed to sponsor gladiators?"

"As I said, I really don't know much about it…" said the guard, blushing even though his mask concealed the redness of his face.

"I see" said Iroh, thoughtful "Do you know who her gladiator is, at the very least?"

"Well, I have seen him" said the guard, frowning as tapped his chin with his thumb "He looks very foreign… I assume he's from a Water Tribe, though I don't know which one. He's tan, well built, and his main weapon seems to be a sword"

"No wonder she heads off to Shu Jing…" muttered Iroh, realizing Azula must have been using Piandao to train her gladiator "As sneaky as ever, my niece…"

It also didn't take too long for Iroh to realize what Azula was attempting to achieve through this. If her instincts hadn't changed ever since he had been in the Fire Nation, then he was quite certain he understood what she was attempting to fulfill. Always trying to prove her worth… she was similar to Zuko in that sense, even though the Princess would ever admit to it.

"You can see her gladiator for yourself, though" said the guard, shaking Iroh off his thoughts for a moment.

"What?" said Iroh, surprised.

"W-well, what I mean is, I believe her gladiator must be about to enter his combat right now. You can go find out for yourself what he's like…"

"I see" said Iroh, smiling "A wise suggestion. I believe I will do that. Thank you for your time"

"Uh, yes, sir! And… uh, welcome home, General!" said the guard, stuttering as he bowed. Iroh chuckled and started down through the docks.

The Dragon of the West didn't like the idea of walking such a long, uphill road towards the Capital, but he had little to no choice if he wanted to enter the crater that surrounded the city and head to the Grand Royal Dome. And so, hoping his belly wouldn't weigh him down too much, he did his best to climb over the hill as quickly as possible, hoping to arrive in time for the gladiator combat…

* * *

Sokka was fitting his forearm guards while Azula paced back and forth in the stand-by room, a prominent frown on her brow.

"Be very cautious" she warned him "You haven't fought any earthbenders before, and they have a great advantage in these circumstances. The sand pit provides them with enough material to bend, so you must be swift and decisive to make sure the combat goes on your favor"

"I figured that out by myself, to tell you the truth" said Sokka, gritting his teeth as he looked outside towards the sad pit "This is likely going to be one of my toughest fights up to date… even if I'm fighting a blind girl"

"Do not underestimate her" said Azula, glaring at him "I rather doubt she'll be as easy to defeat as the Red-Striped Hornet was"

"I'm not underestimating her…" replied Sokka, rolling his eyes "I just don't understand how can a blind girl be a gladiator. It's really confusing…"

"Yet she has aced every single fight she has been faced with" said Azula "And she hasn't simply won… she has knocked out every opponent"

"Wait… you hadn't said that before" said Sokka, frowning and growing slightly cautious now "Knock out… against all her opponents?"

"Or so I heard" muttered Azula "I don't think she has faced off against anyone too dangerous just yet, but she must be something to behold if she can knock her opponents out even when she's blind"

"You're right about that" said Sokka, placing his helmet on his head "She probably has some odd trick up her sleeve or something"

"Therefore you should be extra-careful" said Azula, worried "You don't really know what you'll be going up against"

Sokka nodded and looked at the sand pit once more. The furniture seemed to be the same as it had been during his fight against the Hornet, although many of the objects were placed in different locations now. He attempted to get a glimpse of his opponent, who was waiting at the other side of the Arena, but she was too far away for him to see anything at all.

"Very well, then… good luck" said Azula, prompting him to turn to her "Do not disappoint me this time"

"I won't" promised Sokka, nodding confidently "I will fight to my best, whether she's blind or not. Her trick could be to garner sympathy from her rivals because she's crippled, but that won't work on me"

"It better not" was Azula's response, and she left the room without another word.

Sokka could tell they were still in a very bad place in whatever relationship it was that they had. Regardless, he would try to set things right this time… he had to, somehow. And the best way to do it would be by fighting against the Blind Bandit without giving her any quarter. He would win this fight.

Azula climbed the stairs all the way to the sponsors' balcony and she wasn't surprised to see the opposite sponsor was already waiting for her. He was burly and tan, and his conceited monkey-face made her realize she wasn't about to receive the respect she would usually demand. She wasn't so surprised, though… he was a former Earth Kingdom man, now converted to a Fire Nation Honorary Citizen. It would have been astounding if the man behaved in a respectful manner towards her. She took her seat quietly next to him, not about to grant him any courtesy until he showed some politeness to her.

"Good day for a fight, Princess" finally said the other sponsor, grinning cruelly "My name is Xin Fu, and I'm the Blind Bandit's sponsor"

"That much was a given already" said Azula, not looking at him "I hope your blind girl is as strong as I heard she was"

"Oh, she isn't… she's far tougher than that" said the man, chuckling cruelly. Azula felt disgusted at the sound "You'll see soon enough"

"Excuse me…" said a member of the Arena staff, who had come, as usual, to ask about the time limit "How long do you wish this fight to last?"

"I'd say… ten minutes should suffice" said Xin Fu, still as cocky as ever.

Azula frowned. Ten minutes didn't sound like a good time limit. She scowled as she shook her head.

"I don't think so. Perhaps fifteen… ten shouldn't be long enough"

"Oh… well, if you wish to submit your gladiator to a worse form of torture, then I agree" said Xin Fu, smiling "Fifteen it is"

The staff member left the room quickly, and Azula couldn't help but feel horribly uncomfortable at being alone in the room with such a creepy man.

"But I have to say it does make sense for a Princess to have fun at the expense of her slave" said Xin Fu, grinning "You must be quite a sadist if you enjoy watching gladiator fights, after all. Most girls are completely disgusted by them"

"Do not pretend you understand me" said Azula, growing more wary of the man with every word he said. Xin Fu chuckled and nodded.

"Whatever, Princess. But I have to say… if you don't enjoy watching people in pain, you got involved the wrong business and you definitely accepted the wrong challenge. Your fighter won't come out of this in one piece"

"We'll see about that" replied Azula, although she was slightly intimidated by his words. His confidence was overwhelming… mostly because she feared said confidence would be justified shortly. Could the Blind Bandit be such a tough fighter to deal with? Azula already feared she might be.

The metal grids slid upwards to allow entrance into the sand to both gladiators. Sokka took a deep breath as he walked towards the center of the sand pit, passing by the water well just as the announcer called in his opponent amongst the crowd's screams.

"And, with a remarkable streak of no losses, the highly promising girl who can't see a thing… other than her own awesomeness! I give you… the Blind Bandit!"

Sokka frowned deeply when a small, slim girl with jet-black hair walked towards him from the other side of the Arena. She was dressed in a green outfit, the typical colors of an earthbender, yet to Sokka's surprise, she wasn't wearing an armor. He felt cheated. Not only was she a girl, she was also blind and she headed into battle without any protection… though then he recalled Azula's words: _"Do not underestimate her"_. He hadn't underestimating her. He had his weapons in tow, and he was perfectly armored, as opposed to her. She wasn't even wearing shoes!

He snarled when he realized that the underestimated one had been himself.

"The time limit for this fight is up to fifteen minutes, as decided by the sponsors!" said the man from the judges balcony "Get ready… and START!"

Everyone was expecting an explosive beginning, or at least, that either of the fighters would strike a threatening stance towards the other… but it didn't happen. The Blind Bandit simply crossed her arms as she looked at him… wait, she wasn't looking at him, she was blind. So… what was she doing?

"'Sup?" asked the Bandit, making Sokka stare at her in complete disbelief

"W-well… nothing much, I guess" he replied, hardly knowing what to say "Just here, you know… uh, you are aware that we're supposed to fight, though, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I know that" said the Bandit, digging her toes into the sand "So, what's your real name? I'm Toph. Toph Beifong. You?"

Sokka frowned. This was exactly what he had done to the Spawn of the Volcano and what he had attempted to do with the Hornet: lower your opponent's guard through annoying chit-chat to induce him to strike so that he could take advantage of the situation…

"I'm Sokka" was his reply, to Toph's surprise "Though in these circumstances, I'm the Blue Wolf"

"You're pretty smooth, aren't you?" asked Toph, smirking "So… are you really the Princess's gladiator?"

"Uh… yeah" said Sokka, distrustful

"Gee" said Toph, chuckling now "You'll have to show me what's so special about you, Sokka… because I can't see why the Fire Nation Princess would hire a gladiator who seems to be a complete wimp"

Both the Princess and her gladiator frowned at the comment. It wasn't so much that she would be right or wrong about her assertions… it was more the utter bewilderment that arose when she spoke of Sokka as if she had actually gotten a glimpse at him

"Come again?" said Sokka "How exactly would you know if I'm a wimp or not if you can't see what I look like? Or is it that all this blind nonsense is a charade, just like I suspected?"

"It might be, in some way" said Toph, shrugging "I'm not really blind. Sure, I can't see, but that doesn't make me blind. You don't seem to be half as burly as I expected from a guy who is getting sponsored by the Royal Jewel…"

Azula became even more offended towards the girl when she heard her speak about her in such a disrespectful manner. The Royal Jewel? Who exactly did that stupid blind girl think she was talking about?

"… because, to top it all, you're a non-bender. So… you should be really tough. But you don't appear to be strong at all. Care to show me why would she pick a weakling like you to be her gladiator?"

Sokka sighed and raised his hand towards his sword. He didn't like the idea of hurting the girl… but he doubted he'd actually maim her at all. She was stirring his mood because she was trying to take the advantage of the situation… and he wouldn't let her. He had promised he would fight properly, and he had every intention to do so.

"I guess I will" he said, once he had Space Sword in his hand.

He had to clear his mind away before his principles began pestering him about attacking a blind girl. Sokka broke into a half-hearted sprint, expecting the girl to respond at his approach somehow… and she did.

Toph simply moved her left foot upwards with a flick of her ankle, and an array of sand flew straight at Sokka's face, knocking his helmet off and stopping him halfway through his dash towards his opponent. The sudden movement of the sand knocked him off balance, but he leaped back to avoid falling over. Indeed, Azula had been right to say an earthbender had it very easy in the middle of a sand pit…

"Oh… I guess my question has been answered" said Toph, smirking "You're smart enough to know when to strike and when to take a step back. Nice"

"Thanks" said Sokka, although he was pretty certain she wasn't quite complimenting him.

"But I don't think you'll be smart enough to beat me" she replied, lifting both her arms into a fighting stance.

Sokka didn't understand at all how was she fighting, it hardly made any sense… how could she know where he was if she couldn't see? But somehow, she had to know… else she wouldn't have been able to attack him by launching several sand streams in his direction. Sokka found himself forced to dissolve the unexpected attack by shielding his face with his armguard, kneeling as he waited for her assaults to end. Being struck by sand wasn't painful, but it was very unpleasant. The tiny grains of dirt slid into his armor and clothes, running down his body in quite an annoying manner, and before he knew it, his feet were submerged in sand. Still, this was something he could bear… if this was truly the best the earthbender could do, beating her wouldn't be as hard as…

That last thought was interrupted when the Blind Bandit closed her hands into tight fists, and before Sokka knew it, the sand that had covered his feet grew solidified, turning into a rock. His eyes grew wide open as the earthbender performed a high and steady kick, and he found himself flying over the Arena, crashing painfully against one of the wooden structures as the earth around his feet grew softer again, allowing him to move. His ankles ached after the brusque pressure the sand had played over them.

"Oh, did I forget to mention I'm the best earthbender in the world?" asked Toph, tapping her chin with one finger as she frowned, deep in thought "Yeah, I think I did…"

"That's crazy-talk…" said Sokka, staggering as he got on his feet again, the structure behind him collapsing loudly, costing his opponent twenty points.

"Oh, damn it" said Xin Fu at the sponsors' bench "Stupid girl, you should be more careful!"

Azula was surprised to see the man had the guts to yell at his gladiator in the midst of a fight. He looked like an angry boarcupine as he glared at the Blind Bandit.

"Not at all" said Toph, ignoring her sponsor and focusing solely on her prey "Do you still need more proof?"

"It makes no sense!" said Sokka "If you're blind, then how come can you fight like this?!"

"I shouldn't reveal my secrets…" admitted Toph, deep in thought "But I guess saying this could work in my favor somehow. I don't see with my eyes, true… but I can see you through earthbending. I have to say sand isn't the best landscape for me, the earth is scattered so I can't see as well as I normally do… but even in these circumstances, I can still beat you"

"We'll see about that" grunted Sokka, smirking slightly. So… she really couldn't see. That could play in his favor after all…

He withdrew his boomerang from its sheath and threw it after aiming it at Toph. She sensed through his movements what his intent was, and she brought forth an earth barrier, compressing the sand quickly to solidify her defense.

She was surprised, though, when she failed to feel something colliding with her earth shield.

"What just…?" she grunted, feeling slightly paranoid. He had flung something at her, she knew… so where was it? What was it, rather…?

Sokka smirked, knowing his little ploy had worked. He had tossed boomerang a few feet from where Toph was currently standing, calculating that it would hit her on the second half of its course. And indeed, he landed his first blow on his opponent through this scheme.

The boomerang's edge struck Toph's back, making her stumble as she gasped, taken by surprise by the hit. She didn't understand what had happened at all, what sort of projectile he had hurled that would hurt her from behind. All she knew, though… was that she couldn't keep her guard down. This guy was way smarter than anyone she had faced so far, and she wouldn't give him a chance to beat her.

"Ha!" said Sokka, after hearing her huff as she tried to regain her stance. The earth barrier was dissolved quickly, and Sokka was taken aback when he caught sight of her face this time.

She was smirking in a very scary and cruel manner now, and she had lifted her hands to take a bending stance. The sand behind her began shifting, as if it were swallowing something… and that something, to Sokka's dismay, was his boomerang.

"No!" he yelled, starting towards his weapon, but the Blind Bandit wasn't going to take him for granted anymore.

Not only did she make the boomerang sink deep into the sand, she also shot a great amount of solidified sand into Sokka's stomach brusquely, making him fly over to the edge of the Arena. Azula found herself gripping the armrests of her chair with enough strength for her knuckles to turn white when Sokka's right shoulder was caught in one of the metal spikes on the rim of the sand pit. Hell knew what the odds were for the tip to make its way into the only bit of Sokka's back that wasn't covered by armor…

Sokka couldn't help but yell out loud in pain as the tip impaled on his shoulder pierced his body, protruding slightly through his chest. He dislodged the tip after struggling a little and he collapsed in the floor, coughing and gasping for air. He hadn't expected anything like this to happen…

"How'd you like that?" asked the Blind Bandit, smirking cruelly.

"D-damn… d-damn you…" said Sokka, struggling to get back on his feet. His right arm felt horribly numb, and his body seemed not to know how to react to the pain.

"I do feel a little bad about this, I have to say" said Toph, shifting the sand beneath him and forcing Sokka to stumble as he tried to keep distance between them, since the earthbender was trying to bring him closer to her "You see… I'm about to kill you"

Sokka's eyes grew wide in horror as Toph said such dreaded words.

"W-what?!" he said, still unable to get out of the sand trap Toph was stirring.

"I don't think I'll enjoy killing you" she admitted, moving her fingers as she toyed with Sokka "But I'm left without a choice. You see… it's been said that you only won your previous fight because you're the Princess's spoiled slave…"

Azula winced at the accusation. She knew it… she had known everyone would take Sokka's victory as cheating because of the pathetic way the Blue Wolf had fought during the second half of the fight. Even when she had tried to clear it up at the end of the combat, and after she had obtained a somewhat satisfying answer, the rumors had spread that nobody would be able to beat Sokka because of his sponsor's title...

"So the only way to make sure I win… is by killing you" said Toph, matter-of-factly "Too bad for you. You'll be my first dead opponent ever, how's that?"

"What…?" grunted Sokka "You weren't in the… in the Amateur League, then?"

"Hell, no!" said Toph, smirking "You thought I was that weak? Only weaklings go to the Amateur League. The really tough gladiators, like me, get hand-picked immediately for the big leagues. And you, clearly, don't belong in the upper ring of this business"

"You're not the one… to decide that" grunted Sokka, growing angrier by the minute. This girl was so cocky she was making him sick. Who did she think she was to go around declaring who was worthy of being a top gladiator and who wasn't?

Sokka's shoulder was throbbing now, and the discomfort he felt on it was beginning to turn into pain. He had to do something… he didn't know how much time they had left, but he knew he had to turn the tables in this fight right away if he was going to win. And he was going to win… his life was on the line now, apparently. He couldn't lose against the Blind Bandit… he simply couldn't. It had never been an option to die in a gladiator pit, and it definitely wasn't one now.

He was still gripping Space Sword in his left hand, but he didn't have his boomerang anymore… there had to be something he could do with his remaining weapons, anything. He could fling his bombs at her… but to what avail? They were smoke bombs, and she was blind. She'd see through the smokescreen without a problem using her earthbending skills. He had his knife too, but he didn't think it could come in handy at all.

"Oh, no" said Toph, snickering "I don't get decide if you're good or not… but I do decide if you're a winner or a loser. And I'm thinking you're the latter, really… you're not half as tough as you thought you were, Wolf"

Sokka smirked. As the girl spoke, he worked up a strange and unreliable plan that might not work at all… but he had to give it a try, at least. His eyes flickered towards the sponsors' balcony, wondering if Azula was disappointed in him… and hoping that, if she was, his next endeavor would make her beam with pride afterwards.

He was surprised to see she seemed to be worried rather than displeased, but that didn't change his resolve at all. He would make sure he wouldn't let her down this time. Their eyes clashed together once again, even at such distance. Azula's grip on the armchair wouldn't grow any fainter, and she was so focused on Sokka and his fight that neither her nor Xin Fu noticed the door to the room was opened suddenly, and, unknown to them, they were joined by a guest who remained silent as he stood behind both sponsors.

"Oh, maybe I'm not… but neither are you, Toph!" he yelled, having memorized her name.

He put away his sword for a moment before flinging a bomb towards her. Toph sent a chuck of earth towards him, and Sokka twirled to avoid the blow. Toph frowned as she noticed a strange sphere had landed between her feet.

"What the hell is this?" she grunted, just as she was about to kick it away…

The bomb released its content when she moved, and just as Sokka had planned, the smoke hit the girl in the face, getting attached to her clothes and forcing her to stumble to get away from the irritating cloud of smoke. But Sokka took his chance and sent out the other bomb, rolling it down through the ground towards her… and he instantly thought he would have to thank some god of fortune when she stepped over the second bomb, tripping and falling to the sand with a yelp of annoyance as more smoke was released by the second bomb.

He knew that was his cue. Unsheathing his sword once more, he ran towards her, gritting his teeth as he thought he would get even with her now… he would repay her for the stinging wound she had left on his shoulder as soon as he caught up with her…

Azula's eyes regained their glow when her gladiator seemed to gain the upper hand in this combat for once… yes, she always had great hopes set on him, and she had always known he wouldn't disappoint her this time…

The cloud of smoke didn't let the crowd witness what had happened when Sokka had lunged at his rival again. Regardless, it didn't take too long for the result of his attack to be clear to everyone.

Sokka had rushed into the smoke, ready to strike Toph down… but he was met by a sudden surge of sand that surrounded and stopped him in the middle of his sprint. Toph was struggling to get up, but before doing so, she performed an incredibly potent kick… and Sokka was sent flying outside the smoke cloud again.

Azula grimaced when she saw him rolling over the floor, wincing at the pain on his shoulder and at the frustration he felt after his plan had failed at the last minute. He had nothing left anymore… what could he do now? Had he already lost this fight?

"You scumbag…" he heard from the cloud. It seemed the Bandit was pretty upset after that incident "… you must think you're so cool, knocking me over to the ground, huh? Well, I'm about to show you the Blind Bandit's true power! Let's see what you can come up to counter this with!"

Sokka hadn't expected her to become so livid after this, but he guessed nobody had ever gotten the better of her like that. He allowed himself to bask in pride for a second before feeling the sand beneath him growing more and more unstable. He jumped to his feet, but he failed to stand up in time to leap out of this new trap, which had already managed to sink him to his waist.

Azula gasped at the sight. Sokka was trying to get released from the furious earthbender's grip, but it was proving completely useless. Xin Fu, next to her, beamed cruelly. And the other person in the room finally decided to announce himself, taking both sponsors by surprise when he did.

"Well, that was quite a mischievous plan… too bad it didn't work"

Azula was already distraught because of the fight… she didn't need a new problem to add to her list. And this problem… this was the worst sort of problem she could ever have envisioned.

Her eyes grew wide open on the second she heard that voice, and her grip on the chair grew even tighter. This wasn't happening… not when she was making a new name for herself through her gladiator. Not when she had finally found a way to make people acknowledge her… no. It couldn't be… this couldn't be true. But it was, though. That old man's voice was unmistakable, and if he was here, in the Grand Royal Dome, then it could only mean one thing…

Zuko was back.

"Well…" she said, trying to keep her voice from trembling "This is a very… astounding surprise, to say the least. What are you doing here… Uncle?"

"I sent a message to my brother not too long ago" said Iroh, smiling at Azula despite the fact that she wouldn't dare look at him. She was still unwilling to acknowledge his presence "I was certain you would have been aware that Zuko's banishment has been lifted… the Council declared he could return home"

"I… I wasn't informed of this" said Azula, keeping her head held high and her eyes set on the fight, which was growing murkier by the minute, although she wasn't registering anything of what she was seeing. Her mind was elsewhere right now "They probably came to that decision during one of my travels"

"Most likely" said Iroh "I didn't think my brother would have kept any secrets from you… or is it that he has grown weary of you during these ten years?"

Azula had to make quite an effort not to laugh at that statement. She knew what Iroh was trying to play at, she had always known… just as he had always been able to see right through her, she always could see through him.

"My father has always been weary of me, Uncle. Everyone has" said Azula, proudly "I guess he didn't mention this matter to me because he simply considered it to be completely irrelevant for both our interests"

"Oh, well…" said Iroh, laughing in that jolly way Azula had grown to loathe over the years "You do understand Ozai far better than I ever will. You are most likely to be right about that"

"Are you the Dragon of the West?" asked Xin Fu, turning to see the man with a frown on his face.

"Ah, indeed I am" said Iroh, smiling.

"Well, what business do you have here?" grunted Xin Fu "This is the sponsors' balcony. You're a royal, so go up to the royal seats instead…"

"On my own? That would make this experience far too boring" said Iroh, shaking his head "And I have just returned home after ten years of sailing… I should be allowed to see my niece after all this time"

Azula scowled at such a ridiculous claim. Iroh, caring about seeing her? Not even a toddler would buy such a pathetic excuse for a lie…

"You have grown a lot, Azula" said Iroh smiling down on her as he stood by her side "You are the spitting image of your mother Ursa"

If what he had said so far had been annoying, this was borderline insulting. How dared he…? He was completely aware of how much Azula hated to hear people comparing her to her mother… and that was likely to be the reason why he had said those words in the first place.

"That is very kind of you, Uncle" she said, sarcastically "Whereas you seem far older than I ever thought you'd get to be. I'm amazed to see you managed to survive ten years at sea with Zuko pestering you… or was it him the one struggling to survive you?"

Iroh chuckled and focused on the fight again, even though Azula took her time to shoot another glare at him before looking down at Sokka once more… and she felt her heart-rate slow down as she gazed at the combat below.

The smoke had cleared up already, so there was nothing to prevent anyone from witnessing the massacre below. Toph had spent the last few minutes throwing Sokka from one side of the Arena to the other, throwing huge blocks of earth to his face and chest and breaking most of his armor after so many powerful smashes. She had recurred to smothering him in quicksand again, and only Sokka's head was visible at the moment.

"You know… people say that, if you get buried while standing up, you won't be able to dig yourself out" she said, smirking cruelly as she walked up to Sokka. The Water Tribe man could look into her face from his current position: he was terrified by the way her sightless eyes passed over him while her hands kept stirring the sand beneath him "We could test that right now, couldn't we?"

With this, Sokka sank into the ground with a muffled sound that might have been a scream, but he was below the surface too quickly and the yell was completely smothered. Azula couldn't contain a gasp of horror. Her gladiator had been buried alive.

Xin Fu, next to her, laughed. Azula had to exert all of her willpower to avoid going in a firebending rampage to kill both the men in the room with her. She couldn't believe this was happening… Sokka couldn't die like this, he couldn't. He had to return to his Tribe, didn't he? He had many things to accomplish! He had proven to be too damn hard to kill for him to drop dead here and now, and against a blind brat of all people… She was left staring at the spot where she had seen him last… and she wondered if that had been the last time she'd ever see him. No… there was no way she would let that happen…

Iroh raised an eyebrow as Azula stood up and walked up to the edge of the balcony, standing by the wooden fence that secluded the room. She placed a hand on a red column as she looked down into the sand pit, begging him mentally to come back up. Her heart was beating weakly as despair made its way through her… he had to come back. He couldn't do this to her… he couldn't be gone now…

She didn't know if she was relieved or horrified when Toph thrust a fist up in the air and Sokka resurfaced… but he wasn't free from her clutches. In fact, he was anything but free from her grip.

Sokka was still held tight by a gigantic sand column shaped as a hand that mimicked Toph's very own. Azula stared, aghast, as she felt some relief to see Sokka was still alive, but his face was covered in blood and his hair was no longer up in his wolf's tail, all the blows he had received had left him in his currently dreadful state.

"I hope you were trying to get out of the sand, as I told you to" said Toph, smirking "That way we've proven that theory, huh?"

Sokka didn't respond, and she seemed slightly displeased at that. She began closing her other hand, solidifying the sand and tightening the grip around Sokka until he could hardly even breathe.

"Well, if you're not going to cooperate… I guess I'm just going to end you right away" said the Blind Bandit.

The sand became a solid rock eventually, and Sokka could only utter a muffled cry of pain at this stage as he felt several bones snapping under the brutal pressure. Azula was staring at him in panic, knowing that this was it… and she could do nothing about it. There was no stopping this madness…

But, to her surprise, the tight rocks fell apart and Sokka collapsed in the sand again. Azula was somewhat relieved at this and so was the gladiator as he panted, trying to catch his breath again.

"You didn't really think I'd be done with you just like that, did you?" asked Toph, smirking "Where's the fun in that?"

Sokka could hardly move. Toph had crushed the bones on his legs and the only extremity he could use currently was his left hand. He turned around and coughed up sand and blood on the ground, his eyesight growing blurry with every second that went by. He probably wouldn't be conscious for much longer… and it might just be the last time he'd be conscious. He had failed…

He had lost this fight.

"So… let's see" said Toph, walking around him as if she were a hawk intimidating its prey "There are a few ways I could kill you. I could squash you to your death, like I was doing just now… or I could make tons of sharp stones and stab all your body with them!"

Sokka panted, a strange shrill sound was coming out of his throat with each breath he took. He didn't even realize he was the one responsible for that sound.

"Or maybe… I could slide a lot of sand into your stomach" said Toph, smirking "And I could use potential force to bring all the earth out of you and BAM! You'd die in an earthy explosion. I figured that one would suit you, seeing how you seem to be so fond of bombs and useless junk like that"

Azula hardly realized there was a burning feeling in her eyes. Tears were threatening to slip down her cheeks as she witnessed the half-dead figure of her gladiator, too weak to do anything other than drag himself in the ground with one hand…

"Well? I don't have all day, you know?" said Toph, her hands on her hips as she stared at him impatiently "Make a choice already!"

Sokka coughed up more sand. He felt as if he hadn't had a drink of water in his entire life, his throat was horribly dry. It was sad to think he would die with an empty stomach and his mouth full of sand…

And then it hit him that he really was going to die. All the thoughts that had often come to his mind during his stay at the Amateur Gladiator League came back to him at full force… and he surprised Toph by flashing her with a most unexpected smile.

"I… I don't really care" he muttered with what was left of his voice, making Toph huff in irritation, shaking the her messy bangs with the movement "I can't… I can't fight anymore, so… I'm going to die"

"Well, gee, thanks for clearing that up, Captain Obvious!" said Toph, sarcastically "So that's it, then? You're not even going to try to survive?"

"N-no…" said Sokka, still coughing up more sand "I've… I've been afraid of death for all these years… I wanted to die, but I couldn't… I was… so scared… of what would happen when I passed… I didn't think I could… c-could handle the pain, so I… I fought back and killed… killed my opponents instead. I even… I even wanted to kill myself, but… I didn't have it in me to do it… this time, though… this time I can't do a thing, and I'm about to die… So… I'm glad…"

Toph's face grew contorted with rage as she heard him speak.

"Those are the last words of a coward" she said, her nose growing wrinkled as she tightened her fists "The hell was that? You're too afraid of death to let others kill you and you don't have the guts to do the job yourself? That's pathetic. So you just want me to make you a damn favor, is that it?!"

Sokka didn't answer anymore. He had already spent what he had left of his energy by talking to her.

"Let me tell you something, you useless sack of broken bones" said Toph, harshly "I'm not here to do favors to any pathetic gladiators I cross in the Arena, I'm here to fight them and kill them if I must! And if you're here for another reason, then you're not a warrior! You're not a gladiator! You're just a spineless scumbag!"

Sokka didn't seem too pleased to hear this, although he could hardly even understand the words at this point. The world was becoming too blurry; his senses were failing him…

"And you know what, you stupid Blue Wolf?" she said, kicking at his stomach and making him wince in pain again "You're not getting any favors from me"

Azula suddenly grew hopeful after those words. Then… he would live? She would let him live?

"What the hell does she think she's doing?!" yelled Xin Fu, standing up as well "KILL HIM ALREADY!"

"Maybe one day, if you grow a pair, I'll think about finishing you off" said Toph, ignoring her sponsor's screams "But right now… you're just not worth killing"

Sokka didn't know if he should take that as an insult, but he was far beyond caring at this point. His mind was closing down slowly, or so it felt…

"No, no, no… come on… you can do this, Sokka" Azula whispered, watching him tilt his head down as he tried to keep awake, but it seemed his efforts were doomed to fail "Don't do this… don't bail on me just yet…"

"KILL HIM!" screamed Xin Fu next to her. Toph gritted her teeth as she heard his voice "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU, STUPID?! KILL HIM!"

Toph's response garnered a gasp of shock from the entire crowd. She lifted her hand at her sponsor, her middle finger sticking out as she showed him a particularly offensive sign.

"Oh, my… that's some girl" said Iroh, laughing as his belly joggled as usual.

"Y-you…" said Xin Fu, baring his teeth at the girl.

Azula didn't care at all about the strife between her fellow sponsor and his gladiator, her eyes had finally left Sokka's writhing figure as she stared at the hourglass on the balcony opposite to hers. There were only a few grains left… the fight was almost officially over. Just a few seconds more and she could go to him… he had to hold on just for a little longer…

"Please, Sokka… Please…" she begged, as if she thought he could hear him.

Iroh frowned as he caught wind of what she was saying, and he wondered when had he last seen his niece so worried about someone… he recalled she had been most pleased to witness the Agni Kai between her father and brother, and she had been especially enthusiastic when Zuko's face had gotten singed. How come was she more concerned over a petty slave than she had been over her brother?

Azula was convinced the damned hourglass had to be malfunctioning. The sand appeared to defy the laws of gravity as it seemed to float slowly to the second section of the hourglass. Xin Fu kept yelling next to her, and Toph refused to respond. She walked away from Sokka, unwilling to land another blow on a man who wasn't worth her efforts. Sokka shivered now, longing for the final strike that would never arrive, the strike that would put him out of his miserable life for once and for all…

And the last grain fell, finally. Azula didn't even notice she was holding her breath as she forced herself to stay put until the judges declared the obvious winner. Not too long afterwards, the usual announcer ran to the bullhorn and yelled:

"T-the winner is the Blind Bandit!"

Xin Fu finally shut up when Toph was declared the winner, relieved that the judges weren't as unfair as he thought they would be. But then again, even if they had been favoring Azula, there was simply no way they could announce the Blue Wolf as the winner when he was laying in the floor, shaking with every new breath he took.

Xin Fu would have gloated about his gladiator's victory even though he was displeased over the fact that Toph didn't kill Sokka, but he had no chance to do so. Azula shoved the bag of the bid's money to his chest before turning to the door and storming out of the room, almost crashing shoulders with her Uncle as she did. She hardly even recalled what Iroh's return meant to her at this point.

"That little bitch" said Xin Fu, forgetting about Azula as he glared at Toph, who was currently exiting the Arena, unhurt "I'm gonna teach her a lesson or two…"

Iroh raised an eyebrow as Xin Fu followed Azula's lead and left the room, albeit without running. The Dragon of the West looked around the Arena and he took in its glory and details… it was the first time he witnessed a gladiator fight, seeing as this branch of slave business had been developed a few years after he had taken off on his trip with Zuko. The cheering crowds at the stands, the sun's gleam sliding through the Dome's glass roofs… the astounding girl who had just made a mess out of Azula's gladiator and finished the fight completely unscathed…

Iroh smirked as he walked out of the room, brewing something in his mind that, for once, had nothing to do with tea.

Azula didn't recall having run as if her life depended on it ever before. She used to run around the Palace when she was little, but never had she sprinted in this manner. The rational side of her brain told her she might end up falling down the stairs if she kept rushing like this, but she ignored it completely. She had to get to him as quickly as possible…

The way to the stand-by room seemed ten times longer than when she had walked through it earlier, even though she was running this time. People turned to look at her as she passed them by, some of them realizing she was the Fire Nation Princess, but Azula didn't care for their judgment of her. Her mind was set in only one goal right now… and that goal was Sokka.

When she finally arrived to the stand-by room he was getting carried out of the Arena by two staff members, who were dragging him from the sand with difficulty. Sokka kept gasping for air, too weak to cough, his legs too damaged for him to walk without help.

"Sokka…" Azula whispered, shortening the distance between them with long strides. The two staff members were surprised to see her in such a shaken state.

Sokka managed to recognize her voice, although he didn't even understand what she said. Somehow, hearing her gave him strengths he didn't know he still had within him… he had to tell her, say that damned word before she took out her anger on him again… he knew she would be extremely disappointed in him after what had just happened, but he couldn't make things right anymore. He had failed her…

"A-Azula…" he mumbled, trying to raise his head to look at her, but his eyesight was completely blurred.

"Hush" she said, approaching and sliding her hand under his left arm, surrounding his hip as she got ready to carry him on her own. The staff members stumbled back, staring at the scene with disbelief. Never before had they gotten to see a sponsor who was so concerned over the well-being of his gladiator that he would choose to carry the almost lifeless slave like this "You don't have to say anything, everything will be alright soon…"

"A… Azula…" he said once more, since he hardly understood any of what she had told him.

"Where can I find medical assistance for him?" she asked, looking at the staff members with fury gleaming in her eyes, threatening them to speak at once or face dire consequences "Answer me!"

"T-there are no medical facilities in here, Princess!" said one of the men, terrified

"How can there be no…?!" started Azula, in complete disbelief, but then she shook her head, knowing she couldn't get hung up on the subject now. She would address that issue later "Sokka, can you walk?"

"H-huh…?"

"Can you walk? Do you understand what I'm saying?" she asked, looking at him in the eye.

"A… a little" he admitted "My legs are killing me…"

"Well, I'm not about to drag you all the way to the Palace" said Azula, frowning "You'll end up in an even worse state if I do that. You have to work with me here, Sokka… try to walk, please…"

Sokka only caught the last sentences, and was suddenly bemused at hearing Azula pleading with him. He didn't understand what she was doing, but he would comply somehow. He nodded and used every ounce of his willpower to move his legs. Azula had him place his arm across her shoulders and she exerted all the strength she could muster to pull him with her as she walked towards the hallway.

Sokka gasped at every step they took, even though Azula was walking as slowly as possible, trying to make the trip less difficult for him. She didn't realize she kept reassuring him through words, telling him everything would work out for the better, that he would be fine… Sokka hardly even understood, but he was clinging to her as if his life depended on it… and it damn was depending on it right now.

It took them what felt like ages to get up the stairs. Azula wondered if it would have been easier if she had been carrying him on her back, but she wasn't strong enough to lift his weight through such a long flight of stairs. Sokka was clearly trying his hardest to climb each step, but his legs kept giving away and he almost brought Azula down each time he collapsed. Regardless, the Princess didn't give up on her endeavor; she didn't even bother thinking about doing so.

Finally, they reached the vestibule. Sokka was trembling violently by then. Azula gritted her teeth as she nigh dragged him towards the gates, and many unwelcome eyes were fixated upon the sight. Shoji was looking at them with his mouth hanging open, not understanding what could have wrecked the Blue Wolf like this, and definitely confused over how the Fire Nation Princess was carrying him like this on her own… but whenever someone approached her, she would glare at them defiantly. Sokka was her gladiator, she had gotten him into this fight and she would be the one to get him out as well, no matter if felt too weak to carry both him and an enormous pile of guilt as burdens on her shoulders.

Another staff man got the door for her, and she didn't thank him for his kindness. There was her palanquin, at last…

The Captain of the Royal Guard hadn't been paying close attention to the door, but when the other guards and the palanquin bearers began staring at the Arena's gates with scandalized looks on their faces, he turned around to see what was happening. Of course, he hadn't expected to witness such a horrifying sight: The Princess was struggling to walk down to the Palanquin while holding her gladiator in her arms. She was stained with his blood and also with the sand that had been attached to the remnants of his clothing and armor, giving them both an extremely ragged up appearance.

"P-Princess!" he yelled, turning around at her

"Is the palanquin ready?" was her sole question as she dragged Sokka down the steps that would lead her to the street.

"What just…?" asked the Guard, rushing up to her as the rest of the Royal Procession got ready to move "Princess…"

"Don't touch him" said Azula, wincing as she walked down the last few steps towards the palanquin "He's badly injured, so just… don't touch him…"

"I can see that" said the guard, although he kept walking nearby, afraid Azula might drop Sokka, but, despite she was struggling to stay steady on her feet, she managed to keep a strong grip around him.

Despite Azula's orders, the Captain insisted in aiding her once he realized what her intent was. He opened up the curtains of the carriage and helped her place the wounded man inside the cabin. Sokka was half sitting, half lying down on the palanquin, grunting as the dreadful pain kept making its way through his body.

"Are you bearers strong enough to carry two people?" asked Azula, fearing she might have to walk to the Palace, even though she loathed the idea of doing so.

"Of course, Princess" said one of the bearers, although he winced at the though. Carrying Azula was one thing… but that man was big enough to tower over all them. Still, they were devoted to their duty and they would fulfill it to the end. They would carry both of them if the Princess commanded them to do so.

"If need be, I'll have one of the guards help carry the palanquin" said the Royal Guard's Captain, reassuringly. Azula nodded and climbed aboard, closing the curtain behind her.

There wasn't much room left in the palanquin, seeing how Sokka was sitting on her usual spot. He was breathing heavily as he tried his hardest to remain conscious, but he was slowly losing the battle against his senses, which were begging for him to shut down completely.

"A-Azula… w-what is…?" he managed to say before huffing in pain, his teeth clenched as a sudden burst of pain ran through his right shoulder.

"No need to say anything, Sokka" she told him as he lifted his left hand to hell knew what avail "Or to do anything, for that matter. You're going to be fine soon, I promise you that"

"A-Azula… b-back then, I…"

"Shush, I said" she told him. Sokka seemed to be searching for something with his hand, but his eyes were failing him and he couldn't find what he was looking for. Azula had no clue what to do other than to take it in hers, and to her relief, Sokka seemed to calm down slightly at this. Was that what he had been trying to accomplish? "It's going to be alright. I'm going to make sure of that"

"Azula… I… I'm…" he muttered, and she no longer had the heart to shut him up. Clearly, he had something to say "I'm… sorry"

Azula's eyes fell at those words. Sorry? Again? What was he sorry about now?

It seemed that he had been forcing himself to remain conscious only to utter those words. His eyelids fell down over his blue eyes, making Azula fear the worst until she realized his chest was still heaving. She allowed herself to take deep breaths now, since it seemed like she hadn't breathed in over half an hour, but as she did, something unexpected came over her.

She couldn't quite understand it, but as she looked at the man's torn up face, she felt an incredibly powerful urge to restore him to the goofy idiot he had been before. She wanted him to open those eyes again soon… she needed to argue with him, to discuss matters they didn't agree upon, she wanted him to say and do all those ridiculous things that took her completely off guard… She couldn't let him die. She wouldn't let him leave her, not now, not ever. And to think she had wanted to get another gladiator not even a month ago…

She felt something wet on her lap, and it took her a moment to realize she was actually crying. Her hand was still holding his, and she just gazed upon her worn out gladiator as feelings foreign to her began rising within her chest. She had no idea what this strange surge of emotions was, but she couldn't have cared less about understanding them right now. She was too concerned over his well-being to care about anything but him at this point.

The palanquin began moving, and she finally stopped looking at him. It was unbearable for her to keep looking at his limp figure. Yet she still held his hand tightly, unwilling to let it go… unwilling to let him go.


	18. Chapter 18

"You little bitch!" yelled Xin Fu, glaring at his gladiator.

Toph was standing with her back against the wall as he yelled and sprayed her with spit, but she didn't feel cornered by him despite the manner in which he towered over her. She had her brow furrowed defiantly, since she was not about to take any of the nonsense this man was throwing at her. Her careless attitude only managed to enrage him further, since he could tell that nothing he told her would make it past her prodigious ears. Regardless, rather than thinking about taking a smarter approach to the matter, Xin Fu had decided he would simply yell at her. It seemed he was under the impression that speaking up would make a difference. But, seeing that Toph remained impassive throughout the conversation, it was clear that Xin Fu's attempts to get through to her were doomed to fail.

"I said you had to kill the brat, so you had to do it! I'm the sponsor! You are just following my orders!"

"Yeah, right" said Toph, sarcastically "You've got to be ten times as dumb as I thought you were if you really think I'm going to let you boss me around. I never agreed to abide by your orders when we made our deal"

"Forget that stupid deal! I only accepted to do this because you said I'd get more money like this than by dragging you back to your parents! So either you do as I say, or you're never going to fight in an Arena again!"

"Is that so?" asked Toph, raising an eyebrow "You really think you can keep me from fighting just because you feel like it?"

"I'm your damn sponsor! Without me, you're nothing!" yelled Xin Fu "So either you do as you're told, or this is it for you and your stupid whim of fighting as a Gladiator!"

"Screw you" said Toph, snarling at Xin Fu "I make my own decisions and you're not going to get in my way! I'll sponsor myself if I have to, but you'd better get through that thick skull of yours that I'm not going to behave as if I were a slave! I work for myself and for nobody else!"

Xin Fu laughed and shook his head in disbelief.

"That's stupid, thinking a gladiator can sponsor herself... you're nothing without me! Without a sponsor, you'll be out of the tournament! But you always choose to do things the hard way, don't you, Miss Beifong?"

The man spat on the ground in front of her and Toph cringed, not so much out of disgust towards the gesture, but towards the man himself.

"You're done for, little bitch" he said, glowering at her for the last time "You're out of the gladiator business. Hell knows how you're gonna get out of this one, because I'm not about to save your skinny ass ever again. The money from the bids ain't worth sticking up with a piece of shit like you"

Xin Fu stormed off without another word. Toph was quite relieved to see him leave. She had never been fond of the man, and she was quite pleased to get rid of him at last.

Now she stood alone in the empty corridor that led up to the stand-by room, since that was the place where Xin Fu had caught up with her and the place where he had decided to deliver his speech. The man had been affiliated with the Beifong Estate ever since the war had began looking really bad for the Earth Kingdom, because the Beifongs were amongst the seldom former noble families that had managed to retain their privileged positions even before the Fire Nation had instated the Honorary Fire Nation citizen policy. They were one of the richest families in the world, so they had more than enough resources to appease the Fire Nation's thirst for gold and treasures if they ever came knocking threateningly at their doorstep.

Toph had been born blind, and she had struggled with her impairment during her years as a toddler. But on one fateful day, she wandered too far from the Beifong grounds and wound up inside a cave. While trying to find her way out of her predicament, she met the badgermoles, creatures who sensed their surroundings with their earthbending. And so, with the help of her new friends, Toph, at age four, had started to develop her earthbending prowess. Her eyes still couldn't see, but her other senses were keener than ever before. She longed to show everyone that she could take care of herself now, that she had honed her earthbending skills to the point that she didn't even seem blind anymore, but under the strenuous war circumstances, her parents feared for her wellbeing and protected her in an obsessive manner throughout her childhood and teenage years, keeping her safe at all times and making sure she wouldn't get involved in the fights she longed to take part in. But, as soon as she became of age, she fled the Beifong Estate and ran off as far as she could go, trying to land herself as many good combats as she could find.

Her parents sent Xin Fu after her the on the very minute they realized she was gone. The man had struggled to catch up with her, following the few leads he had been able to find that could bring him closer to catching Toph. After a few months of playing cat and mouse (and after she had gotten aboard a ship as a stowaway, forcing Xin Fu to find a ride across the ocean too), he had finally found her in the Fire Nation Capital. After an earthbending showdown, Xin Fu realized he was nowhere near as talented as Toph was, so he proposed to get her as many fights as she wanted if she spared his life. Xin Fu promised to send messages to the Beifongs, telling them he still hadn't come across her, but in reality he would be sponsoring her in the Superior Gladiator League. Toph had given said proposal some thought before agreeing to it. Once she did, she started out her new life as a gladiator.

Xin Fu had no intentions to have her fight weaklings: he kept sending challenges to the strongest gladiators, but none of them accepted to fight a blind girl with hardly any reputation to precede her. Thus Toph had been forced to fight against gladiators in the lower branch of the ranking, in hopes that word about her prowess would spread quickly. But when the rumors about the Princess's brand-new gladiator reached Xin Fu's ears he was confident he had finally stumbled into their ticket to stardom. A non-bender who had trampled with ease over his first opponent, but had scarcely triumphed on his second combat… The rumors said he had only won the second battle because of his privileged position as Princess Azula's fighter. Thus Xin Fu had immediately instructed Toph to slay him in the Arena to make sure they would take the win home. Toph shrugged at his command, not feeling bothered by it even when she had never killed anyone before. Regardless, when faced with his squirming shape and his shameful words, she thought there would be no glory at all in bringing such a loser to his end. She was still certain of that she had made the right decision, but now she was left standing in the hallway while wondering if this would be the dreaded finale of her career as a gladiator… She wasn't bound to be allowed to sponsor herself even though she could find the means to do it…

"Well, well… why are you all alone in this corridor?"

Toph didn't jump at the unfamiliar voice, but a frown spread over her features. She turned to where she sensed a man's presence. His vibrations told her he was stubby and plump, and judging by his voice tone, he seemed somewhat old.

"Why do you care?" asked Toph, snarling "Keep your fat nose in your own business"

The man let out a loud laugh, which surprised Toph. Why would he find her insults to be amusing?

"Ah, I meant you no disrespect" said the man "But I saw your sponsor walking through the vestibule while muttering to himself things that made me think you might need a new sponsor now"

Toph's frowned deepened. Xin Fu did have a knack for talking to himself, which was one of the things that annoyed her about him. Regardless, that wasn't important anymore. There was an unknown man speaking to her, and even though she usually would have been annoyed at people who'd come up to her as if she cared for their business, this time she was far more curious than she was displeased by him.

"I need a new sponsor?" she asked.

"Well, I figured you would. Didn't he drop you as his gladiator?"

"He said he would, but that's not what matters to me now" said Toph, moving away from the wall as she walked to where she sensed him "What's that of a new sponsor?"

"Oh, I figured such a talented fighter would have wanted to continue her career as a Gladiator. When I heard your sponsor talking in that manner I figured I could come offer you a place as my own gladiator…"

"W-wait… what?! A place as your gladiator…?" she asked, frowning. She wasn't too sure about this… he was a total stranger to her. Should she take up on this offer? She had already struck bargains with the wrong kind of people before, and she'd hate to do it again…

"I have the resources" said the man, smiling "And I won't be pressing you on killing your opponents. You will have much freedom with me as your sponsor. We will go even at everything, too"

Toph was shocked. She seemed at a loss for words for a moment, seeing how she was completely certain that this could end really badly for her, but his proposal was ridiculously tempting. She had nothing better to do anyways, she wasn't likely to get a better sponsorship offer… and she wasn't willing to relinquish the progress she had achieved as a Gladiator if she could retain it. Word might reach her parents about what she was up to now that Xin Fu wouldn't be around to feed them wrong information, but she would enjoy her current freedom while it lasted.

"What do you say, Blind Bandit?" said the man

"Well… I guess giving this a try won't hurt anyone" she said, shrugging.

"Excellent! We must go change your sponsorship data, then!" he declared in a jolly manner.

"Right… but first, who are you exactly, old man?" she asked, walking next to him as they both left the corridor.

"Such a deep question" he said, chuckling "But I assume you simply seek to know my name. I have many names and titles, and I'm popularly known as the Dragon of the West, but my friends call me Iroh"

Toph was shocked to discover his identity. The Fire Lord's brother was offering to serve as her sponsor…? But she got over her initial surprise quickly as a smile spread over her face, to Iroh's content. The Fire Lord's brother indeed…

"Oh, damn" she said, smirking arrogantly as they headed to the vestibule "This is gonna be good"

* * *

Had she ever held her head between her hands in this manner? She couldn't recall if she had. Her fingers were digging into her soft black hair as she wondered if the anxiety she was feeling right now would subside some time soon.

After leaving Sokka to the care of the Palace's medical staff, she had found herself at a loss for what to do. She had taken a bath, thinking that cleansing herself from the blood and sand he had soiled her with would help her to calm down. Thankfully, the bath was useful enough and she felt a lot better once she was soaked up from head to toes. After she was done with the bath, her feet carried her back to the Palace's hospital wing without her awareness of it. It seemed Sokka was still being treated, so there was nothing she could do right now but wait until she heard word from the physicians about his status.

Hence, she had entered a nearby room and sat down on a couch, her head held up by her hands as she began reflecting on the current happenings. And the more thought she gave to the matter, the more she frowned, wondering what the hell had come over her only a few hours ago. She had carried an almost dead slave on her shoulders through the Grand Royal Dome's vestibule, in plain sight for every single attendant to the gladiator fights to see them. And this hadn't been the full extent of her bizarre procedures: afterwards she had loaded him on her palanquin and had ordered her people to carry Sokka's limp body all the way to the Palace, where he was getting the best treatment possible…

She stopped before she began thinking about how rumors of her deeds would spread. She hated caring for what was being said about her, it merely weighed her down in her path to become the best version of herself that she could be. Still, her actions had likely shamed the Royal Family altogether… her father would definitely not be pleased to hear how his daughter had been carrying a slave in front of a huge crowd, refusing anyone else's assistance…

Indeed, she had refused them. She had insisted on carrying Sokka on her shoulders, and she didn't need to think much over why she had: he wasn't just a slave to her, he was her partner. Even though they kept squabbling and arguing, she couldn't deny there was a bond between them that went far beyond their differing opinions. He had disappointed her several times already, but despite it all, she had grown to trust him. He was her sole ally in a world where she could hardly trust anyone else. Ironic, wasn't it? The man she trusted was the one who ought to have been her worst enemy if things had only developed differently somehow… He was a snow savage, she was the Fire Princess. It made no sense for the two of them to work together, but even so, they did. And after things had gone awry on their last encounter, he had gone all out on the Blind Bandit in an attempt to gratify her, to show her that he had grown into a better man, a man worthy of being sponsored by her…

And that had taken him halfway to his grave.

Azula gritted her teeth, ashamed of herself. True, she had wanted to teach him a lesson. She had wanted to make sure he would fight up to the standards she knew she could expect from a man like him… She had also been trying to snap his eyes open, show him she was his sponsor while he was nothing but a slave. If he did as he was told, things would go right for him. If he strayed from her orders, his life would be miserable. But all the lessons she had been trying to teach him by force had backfired on her now, and she was left doing nothing but wallow in guilt as she wondered if Sokka would survive at all…

She frowned as she started thinking about the situation in a more cold-blooded manner. Why was she so worried? Why was she so guilty? He was truly nothing other than a slave! He had never been meant to become anything other than that… She should simply be worried about him being in a fit state to fight in less than three months, nothing other than that. He was her slave, he was supposed to be useful to her… she was only keeping him around to use him, after all!

Azula sighed at those thoughts. She wanted to make herself believe them, but she knew that repeating them a thousand times over and a thousand times again wouldn't make them come true. He wasn't just a slave… he had never been just a slave, and even Sokka knew it. He had never behaved like a slave; he had always been looking down on her with his sneaky smirks, saying and doing things that embarrassed her deeply… no regular slave would have gotten away with any of that. But there was something about him… there had been something about him ever since they met for the first time. Even as enemies, he had spoken to her as if they were on equal standings. Now, as partners, he acted the same way. And the weirdest part… was that she liked it. She enjoyed his company far more than she enjoyed being around any other men she could think of. Surely their views in the world were very conflicting, but she had even spoken to him about matters that she had kept concealed from the rest of the world, such as her turbulent relationship with her mother… he had coaxed the information out of her without her awareness… and he had kept true to her, hadn't spread word about the secrets that troubled her. Thus, she had grown to trust him. She had been willing to drop him as her gladiator not too long ago, but it had simply been a fit of hers. She truly didn't want him gone… and she sure as hell didn't want him gone now.

Sighs kept escaping her lips, knowing that having such a close relationship with her gladiator could prove truly dangerous in several ways. For one, everyone in the Arena had witnessed her dragging Sokka, and that would likely damage her reputation terribly… and for another, there was Iroh to think about. They had been holding a silent quarrel against each other for as long as she could remember. She could only ever trust him to be completely untrustworthy, and clearly, he thought the same way about her. Yet he had witnessed her uncanny response when Sokka had been pounded by the Blind Bandit… she would never hear the end of it. Iroh would probably be the first one to spread rumors about how she seemed to have developed a soft spot for a slave, and that way people would think her to be even more unfit to rule than they already did simply because she was a woman…

And they'd still be hung up on believing that her brother was the rightful heir to the throne. She knew Ozai had no intentions to hand over his crown to Zuko, not now, not ever… but after the way she had behaved today, she feared her father would be completely disappointed in her, since she had allowed her emotions to sway her… and he had always told her emotions were completely useless for a good sovereign. It was the reason why he had always shunned Zuko away, since he would always take everything to the heart and couldn't think of anything without getting emotional about it. But maybe his ten years at sea had changed him… maybe her chances to make a difference in this world had gone up in smoke far before she had known it.

She gritted her teeth, feeling desperate. So all her efforts, all of what she had tried to achieve with Sokka's assistance… it was all in vain now, both because of Zuko's return and her display at the Arena. Her struggle was over, she couldn't win anymore… what could she do now? What should she do now…?

She shook her head and frowned suddenly. No, it wasn't over. No, things weren't gone just yet. Who was to say Zuko had grown mature after these ten years? For all she knew, he was even more of a crybaby than before…

There was only one way to find out, wasn't there?

Azula left the room where she had been sitting, and she turned her back to the healing chamber, feeling an uncontrollable pain burst up in her chest as she did. She could only hope Sokka would make it… but mulling over the matter now was pointless. It would do her no good to keep worrying about him when there was nothing she could do for him. She had to get her mind off him, for her own good, and what better way to do it than by looking for her brother? She had to meet him for herself, discover if her plans had been thwarted just as she feared…

She didn't know if she would find him, since she had no clue if he had arrived to the Palace yet. She looked into his room, a room that had remained vacant for ten years, and when she was in it, she caught sight of several bags of what could only be luggage. Despite that, Zuko wasn't inside. Azula wandered down the halls for a while, trying to think of a place her brother could have headed to… she didn't spot him near the turtle-duck's pond, a place she was bitter towards, but she knew Zuko used to like spending time there. Yet, was that the first place he would want to drop by when he got home for the first time in a decade? She figured not. She only had to think about it in this way to figure that Zuko would have, most likely, sought out a meeting with the Fire Lord.

She clenched her teeth together as she walked off to the main wing of the Palace, the one that led to the Throne Room, certain that Zuko would be there. She walked inside it from the back doors behind the throne, but she was surprised to find the room was empty. Frowning, she walked out the curtains that served as doors, wondering if she had been wrong at predicting Zuko's moves…

She was pleased to discover she hadn't been so wrong about them after all.

The Royal Gallery stood at the end of the hall that led up to the Throne Room. The paintings had never seemed particularly pretty to Azula, but their purpose wasn't to impress anyone with its beauty. The paintings of the Fire Lords had been especially drawn to show the power and supremacy of each ruler of the Fire Nation, and they were daunting to anyone who stood to admire them if only for a moment.

Azula could recall the times when she had looked at those paintings as a kid. She would always imagine what it would be like when, one day, she would sit with the Court Painter and he would make the first artwork of a female Fire Lord… the first female Fire Lord… only over her ambition to obtain such a title she would look up at those figures often, trying to ignore how terrifying they were.

Zuko, though, he hated them. Even when he was thirteen-years-old, just before he got banished, he would avoid looking up at the paintings in the gallery. Perhaps it was the pressure of being the rightful heir to the throne… perhaps he was simply too scared of the creepy expressions in the faces of his forefathers.

His fear of the paintings had been what had prompted Azula to believe he'd never come look at them… so she was truly surprised to discover otherwise. The man staring up at the pictures couldn't have been anyone other than Zuko. There was something awfully familiar about him, yet there was something unknown about him as well. He had his back turned to the Throne Room, but even so, Azula could see how much he had grown. His black hair was held up in quite a long ponytail, and he was clad in a black armor with orange and red colorings on its edges. His hands were behind his back as he looked up at the latest addition to the Gallery: Fire Lord Ozai's portrait.

Azula frowned as she walked towards him, her heart pounding in her chest. Had Zuko grown into a man she wouldn't know anymore? She sure as hell hoped he hadn't, mostly for her own sake. She stopped a few meters away from him, knowing she would have to say something. Surely he had noticed her arrival, her footsteps should have tipped him off about her presence already. And so she tried to find the right words for this moment, even though she felt at a loss for them. Should she be glad her brother was back? Or should she be completely displeased about it? The conflicting emotions within her heart didn't help her to make up her mind, so she figured she should just say whatever came most naturally to her…

"Still afraid of them?" she asked, thankful to discover her voice was still steady and strong even after all the latest happenings.

Zuko hadn't been entirely certain of who had come up to him, but that renowned voice was unmistakable even if it seemed a little more mature than he remembered it.

"Not really" said Zuko, lowering his eyes from his father's painting "They're still intimidating… but I guess I missed looking at them"

"Really?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "What was to miss about them?"

"It's not like I really missed the paintings" he replied "I guess I missed the Palace in itself. It's… it's good to be home"

"It must be" was Azula's simple reply. He wasn't about to receive a warm welcome from her "Did the years treat you kindly?"

"I bet you'd like to hear otherwise" said Zuko, frowning.

"As paranoid and distrustful as ever, Zuzu" said Azula, rolling her eyes "Have you conveniently forgotten that I was the one to provide you with the ship and crew you used to travel throughout the world?"

Zuko jumped at those words.

"Right… you did" he muttered.

Azula was surprised when he spun around towards her. The left side of his face had still been covered by bandages during the last time they had seen each other. This would be the first time that Azula would catch a glimpse of his damaged skin… and it was quite an astonishing sight to behold indeed. She immediately wondered if his left eye was still functional after the brutal burn it had been subjected to.

Zuko himself was impressed by her as well. Despite knowing such a long time had passed, he had half expected to turn around and find the same eleven-year-old he had called his sister so many years ago. Instead he was facing a fully grown woman who seemed the doppelganger of their mother Ursa.

They stood staring at each other, both with distrust and surprise as they tried to recognize in each other the figure of a sibling they hadn't seen in a decade. Zuko sighed and looked down to the floor, making Azula frown.

"You're… you're a lot older"

"I'm astounded you noticed" said Azula, her voice ringing with irony as she rolled her eyes "And here I was thinking you had grown too, but it seems you only did on the outside"

Zuko glared at her, proving her point further. Time didn't seem to have touched his personality in the slightest, or so Azula thought. He truly was the same foolish boy her father had banished over his disrespectful attitude.

"Yeah, sure…" he grunted, folding his arms over his chest in a bitter manner.

"How did your voyage go, then?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow, knowing he longed to have someone ask him about it.

"It… it was long and useless" he said, making Azula frown.

"So… you didn't find the Avatar" she said, simply stating facts. Zuko cringed as she reminded him of his failure "I figured you hadn't. There have been no reports of the Avatar being sighted for over a hundred years. It would have been an extremely lucky hit if you had found any hints of his whereabouts whatsoever"

"Yeah, I didn't find him, you don't need to rub it on my face" he replied, annoyed. He had almost forgotten how hard it was for him to get along with his younger sibling.

"I'm not rubbing anything. I'm just saying it only makes sense that you didn't find him" said Azula, shrugging "So… there's nothing left of the Avatar? No clues at all about his fate?"

"I found nothing" said Zuko, sulking "I roamed throughout the entire world, sailed all the seas and searched every Air Temple. The only place I didn't go to was the Northern Water Tribe. It was too risky to approach them when the Fire Nation navy was attacking them"

"I see" muttered Azula, frowning. So the Avatar might have been reborn in the North and nobody would ever know… had Zuko ever thought of this? Apparently not, and it didn't seem to be a good idea to inform him about it "Well, I suspected the Avatar cycle had been broken somehow. Perhaps the Avatar has ceased to exist altogether"

Zuko nodded, although he still seemed distraught. He raised his head and looked at Azula again before staring at everything around him, troubled.

"Everything… everything's changed" he muttered, sadly.

Azula frowned at those words. She hadn't needed further proof that her brother was the same he had always been, but his statement reaffirmed it to her once again.

"Right. Everything has changed" she said, matter-of-factly "Did you expect the world to halt while you went to seek out the Avatar? It's been ten years, Zuko. Nothing stays the same for such a long amount of time"

"I know" he said, sighing "But… everything just feels different. You're different, even though you're still you. Even the Palace… it's all the same, but there's something I can't nail down about it…"

Azula let out an exasperated sigh.

"Would you stop being so dramatic for once?" she asked.

Zuko sighed again and looked up to her, his eyes showing conflicting emotions. Clearly, there was something he wanted to say, but he feared doing so.

"What?" Azula uttered, frowning.

"There's… there's one thing I need to know" he said, gritting his teeth as he sought out the courage to ask his question "How… how is Mai?"

Azula hadn't expected him to inquire about her just yet, but she knew it had to happen eventually. She was surprised to find herself slightly unwilling to tell him… but, for his sake, the sooner he found out, the better.

"She's… she's doing fine, I'd say" muttered Azula, lowering her gaze "She's… dealing with her pregnancy quite well"

Zuko's eyes fell at those words. It was the lowest blow he could have expected to receive. The pain in his eyes was such that Azula couldn't help but feel horribly guilty at having caused him such anguish, but it had been necessary. It was the easy way for him to find out even if he didn't know it.

"W-what? What did you…?"

"I'm sorry, Zuko" said Azula "But she's been married for about a year now. They are expecting their firstborn in a few months"

Zuko shook his head, unable to believe this. He had been holding onto a single hope during his return home: the hope that there would be one person waiting for him, not caring if he triumphed or failed, just waiting… but his expectations were proven wrong in the cruelest of manners. Mai, married and pregnant…

"Why?" he asked, gritting his teeth "Why didn't she…?"

"Wait for you?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "Be reasonable, Zuko. She didn't know if you'd ever come home. Fact is, nobody thought you would, not even you. You're here simply because Uncle miraculously convinced the Council through his begging, for no other reason."

Zuko scowled, but he knew she was right.

"Who is he?" he grunted.

"A man we met a few years ago on Ember Island" said Azula, frowning as she recalled the occasion "He and Mai spent some time talking and they got along very well. He proceeded to court her, and both their families agreed to their union. They were married last year"

"So it was… somewhat an arranged marriage?" he asked, frowning

"That's not what I said" Azula said, rolling her eyes. It was typical of Zuko to misinterpret her, he just heard what he wanted to hear "The families thought it was convenient, but they only got married because they truly wanted to. There's nothing more to it"

Zuko frowned again, his nose wrinkling as he felt his chest pain him horribly. This was truly the worst case scenario for him, wasn't it…?

"Stop making those faces" Azula nagged him "It looks as if you had stomach cramps"

"You just don't get it, okay?" said Zuko, shaking his head "You're always so perfect! Nothing ever bothers you, nothing affects you! You'd never even know what this pain feels like because you're so flawless that you don't need anyone!"

Azula frowned at those words. Under any other circumstances, she would have smirked and looked down upon Zuko's pain… but not today. Not after what had just happened in the Arena, not after she had even shed tears over the fate of her gladiator. Yet Zuko knew nothing about that, and he was better off not knowing anyways.

"You're making too huge a deal out of this, Zuko" said Azula, sighing.

"No, it's not just this" he said, grimacing and shaking his head "It's… everything. Everything's different, everything's changed… she's changed. But then, there's that…"

"There's what?" asked Azula, bothered by Zuko's attitude. She wanted to roll her eyes and walk away on him already. Talking to him seemed to be the greatest waste of time she could have gotten engaged in.

"There's that one thing that won't change, no matter what I do" he said, his gaze fixated in the floor "He won't see me"

Azula was puzzled at first, but it didn't take too much time for her to connect the dots.

"W-what…?" she mumbled, as Zuko gritted his teeth before losing his temper.

"He won't see me! I came back, and I wanted to go talk to him at once! B-but as soon as he heard I was coming, he stormed off from the Throne Room without a word! He… he won't see me because I failed… he won't accept his own son again because I'm a failure…"

Azula's eyes lit at her brother's confession. She didn't care for how cruel she would seem at relishing over Zuko's misfortune. The fact that Fire Lord Ozai had refused to meet with Zuko soothed her, it made her realize that perhaps her hopes and dreams hadn't been shattered just yet. She was sure that Ozai hadn't heard about her strange behavior at the Arena, but if fortune favored her, he would never find out. He was still shunning Zuko in the same manner as he always had, still treating him with distrust and disdain…

Perhaps her war wasn't lost yet, after all.

* * *

He squirmed slightly in the mattress as he regained his consciousness, but he immediately stopped moving when the pain made its way into him. It felt as if someone had dumped a ten-stories building on top of him, judging by how his entire body felt horribly numb after whatever he had gone through… to be honest, he couldn't quite remember what had happened right now. All he knew was that even opening his eyes seemed too big an effort for him to make. Regardless, he managed to draw back his eyelids, and the daylight nearly blinded him for a moment, making him cringe.

"So… you're still alive, after all" said a familiar voice near him.

Sokka's eyes were still getting adjusted to the morning light, he couldn't see anything properly, but he moved his head to his right, trying to take a look at the person who had spoken to him.

He remained quiet for a moment; both because he was still unable to see properly and also because he didn't know if he would be able to speak at all… he felt as if he hadn't uttered a word in a lifetime.

But as he finally managed to come to his senses, and his sight began working properly, he frowned slightly, although even such a simple motion made his head hurt. Was it just his imagination… or did the Princess seem to be worried about him?

"A… Azula?" he managed to mumble in mild disbelief. Was this a dream? Why would she be sitting beside him in his bedding? He had the feeling he had done something really shameful recently… it wasn't just their latest arguments, there was something more, but he couldn't quite remember it at the moment.

"Welcome back to life" she said. Would grinning at him serve any purpose? She rather doubted it… thus she had stopped halfway between smiling or not, and her face had simply contorted in a very strange grimace "How are you faring?"

"I…" he said, gritting his teeth. Speaking was a lot more trouble than he had expected it to be "Feels like I… got trampled by angry mooselions… 'r something like that…"

"I guess that's close enough" said Azula, crossing her arms over her chest "The Palace's medical team has been taking care of you. They've done their best to heal you, though they decided not to try anything else until you woke up"

"S-so… I'm in the Palace?" he asked, closing his eyes as his head was suddenly struck by pain.

"Where else would you be?" Azula replied, frowning. But, thanks to the look on his face and the questions he was asking, she figured out what his problem was "Have you forgotten what happened to you?"

"Uh… I guess" said Sokka, raising his left hand to his forehead with far more efforts than he thought he would require to execute such a simple motion "It's a big blur…"

"You fought against the Blind Bandit" explained Azula, scowling at the memory of the dreadful fight "She's the one who left you in this condition"

Sokka groaned as he began recalling the events of the previous day. He remembered being buried alive at some point… He could also recall getting squashed inside a rock, which would explain why his entire body felt as if he had been pressed by some brutal force. And then he remembered someone had dragged him through the Arena and laid him down someplace… but he couldn't recall much more than that. Still, he figured he didn't need to remember anything else. Sokka gave Azula a guilty glance before sighing and saying:

"I'm sorry…"

Azula's eyes snapped open at that. Again? What was he even apologizing for at this point?

"Why do you keep saying that?" she asked, looking over at him with utter confusion "Why are you so sorry?"

"I… I disappointed you" he said, gritting his teeth at every wave of pain that came over his body "You said that… if I slipped up one more time, this was it… B-but I screwed up anyway… so before you… before you drop me as your fighter, I just wanted… for you to know that I'm sorry…"

Azula frowned deeply at that. It seemed he would have wanted to talk more, but the pain wouldn't let him.

"You don't need to apologize for anything, then" she said, sighing "You haven't disappointed me"

It was Sokka's turn to look at her as if she had lost her mind.

"I… what? B-but I was beaten…"

"You lost against a girl who fought like a killer machine" said Azula "She wasn't about to give you any quarter. I was too far away to hear whatever it was you told her, but what you said, whatever it was, saved your life. And that's enough for me right now"

"W-why?" asked Sokka, frowning "Why is that enough…?"

"Because you did your best, Sokka" said Azula, sighing "It wasn't as if you'd lost because of a petty performance, you lost because that girl was dripping insanity ever since you hit her for the first time. Even I would have struggled to defeat her"

"Y-you think?" he asked, smiling slightly even though it wasn't easy to lift the corners of his mouth.

"Well, that might have been an understatement" said Azula, imagining the way such a fight would have developed "Perhaps I wouldn't have had it too easy, but I'm confident I would have won anyways"

"Which… makes me unfit to be… your gladiator, right?" he asked, his smile fading away.

"What makes you…? Do you want me to drop you, by any chance?" asked Azula, raising her eyebrows inquisitively.

"N-not at all, but…" he said, stopping as he realized he actually didn't want to stop serving as her gladiator. Why not? He had no clue. Maybe if she dumped him, and if she decided to be merciful, she would spare him of all the fighting and would agree to take him down to the South Pole… but he truly didn't want that, not at this point. He had made a vow to her that he would fight until he became the first fighter in the Superior Gladiator League, and he wanted to keep to his promise. It was what a man of honor would do, after all.

"But what?" asked Azula, sighing in annoyance "Sokka, what happened out there wasn't your fault, and it wasn't mine either. There was no way we could have known that a blind girl like her would turn out to be such a fearsome opponent"

Azula was taken aback by her own words. She wouldn't let Sokka see that she felt quite guilty for having forced him to face against the Bandit out of spite, but she was right: there had been no way either of them could have known the girl would turn out to be so deadly.

"Well, there you have it" he said, chuckling "We… we were the ones… who underestimated her…"

"No, underestimating or not isn't the issue here" said Azula, shaking her head "Even if we had estimated her properly, you would have lost regardless. You need more training before facing foes of such a high level"

"Care to… explain me how is that… going to happen?" asked Sokka, clenching his teeth "I'm already… at Piandao's… league, right? Because… I can fight him evenly now… how am I going to get any better now?"

"I'm willing to bet he would have some useful advice for you about fighting earthbenders" said Azula "He has a lot of experience, and at some point, during his years, he must have fought against foes with powers similar to this girl's skills. I rather doubt she's really the best earthbender in the world"

"And what if… she is?" asked Sokka, gulping.

If there was at least one undefeatable foe in the Ranking, their original goal would fade away into darkness. Azula frowned before shaking her head, refusing to think of the matter like this.

"We'll figure that out later. For now, you only need to focus on getting better. Until you're fit to fight, there's no point in wondering if we'll ever defeat her"

"Right…" said Sokka, staring at Azula with some distrust. There was something about this soothing conversation that he couldn't quite understand… "Why are you being so… nice to me?"

Azula jumped and looked down at him, a mild blush appearing on her cheeks

"I mean… all these days I kept annoying you…" he said "And I got to your bad side… more times than I can count… so, why?"

Why couldn't he just let things go? Why did he find the need to pester her about questions she didn't want to answer? Especially when she hardly even understood the answer herself…

"You're my gladiator" was her response, making him open his eyes widely at that sudden remark. It wasn't as if she were simply stating a fact… there was a certain undertone to her words that impressed Sokka immediately "And that makes you… it makes you my partner, too. We're a team, Sokka. We have fallouts all the time, I won't deny it, and at times I wish I had gone anywhere but to Hui Yi to find a gladiator suitable for me. But, truth to be told… you're the right fighter for me. I don't even know why it feels this way… but all I can say is that it just does. I'm stuck with you even if things are a mess between us at most times. And you're stuck with me too, whether you like it or not"

Sokka was surprised by Azula's pronouncement on the subject, but he smiled at her words. So… it wasn't over. Their strange partnership still continued, and he was truly relieved to know it. Azula gave him a weak smile too before standing up from the chair she had been sitting on.

"Where are you…?"

"I should inform the physicians of your awakening" she said, looking down at his bandage-covered figure "It seems like you're in a world of pain, so it would be better to have them tend to you now"

"Right…" said Sokka, nodding and making his headache worse at that "Damn…"

"What…?"

"It's nothing" he said, trying to give her a reassuring smile even though he couldn't quite achieve one "I'll see you later, I guess…"

"Make sure to be as helpful as you can be with your recovery" said Azula "It would be convenient for us to head to Shu Jing as quickly as possible"

"Yeah…" said Sokka, looking at the ceiling for a moment, wondering what his master would say once he heard about his failure. He then turned his head to the side to convey one last thought to her "Azula…"

But the Princess was no longer in the room. Sokka sighed, even though his bones cringed at the movement. He sure needed a good healing session right away… hopefully those physicians would make it here quickly. He looked up again, still thinking about her, about all of what she had said and done for him these last two days. And even though he knew she wouldn't hear him, he muttered:

"Thank you"


	19. Chapter 19

The next days were hellish for Sokka. His only functional limb was his left arm, and he couldn't even move it properly at first. The pain-killers he was given by the medical staff of the Palace were hardly any use, and even though there were times when his ache would subside, allowing him to drift into a momentarily peaceful sleep, the pain would return at full force only a few moments afterwards. He was lying in bed, twitching and whining at all times. Azula came by to visit him whenever the physicians decided to give him a break from the healing, and she seemed to believe that, if he was strong enough to complain, there definitely had to be some improvement to his status. Sokka disagreed strongly, but the fact that he was able to bicker with her only proved her point further.

The meals he received at first were quite unpleasant, mostly because the impact in his inner organs was unknown. Eventually he was allowed to eat as he pleased, once it was clear that the fight had mostly damaged his bones and skin. The wound on his right shoulder was by far the worst even after it his skin and muscles had been sewed together; he was positive that the fever he kept suffering from was a consequence of that particular injury. Due to the depth of the wound, the physicians decided to focus most their treatment upon it, but all the ointments to accelerate the healing process induced so much pain that Sokka feared they were damaging him rather than helping him heal.

"It's… goddamn it, it's no use" he said, panting as he tried to ball up a fist with his right hand, but he stopped his motions when a bolt of pain had ran down his arm.

"There's no point in forcing your recovery" said Azula, frowning as she watched him sternly "It's been four days, you can't expect to be fully functional so quickly"

"Well, damn, I should be" said Sokka, sighing "For how much longer am I supposed to waste time lying around in bed?"

"Your body is still very weak" said one of the doctors tending to his wounds as he applied more curative herbs to Sokka's shoulder "At the very least, you have an entire month of treatment ahead of you before you can start thinking about returning to the Gladiator Arena"

"A month?" said Sokka, grimacing and not because of the pain "That's… that's too much"

"Try not to get your body smashed next time, then" said the doctor cruelly, even earning himself a glare from Azula. Medical staff had a knack for being heartless towards their patients. At Azula's scowl, the man coughed and turned around to leave, seeing how he had nothing else to do with Sokka, and Azula was considerably terrifying when she was mad "Very well, then, if you'll excuse me now…"

Both Azula and Sokka followed him with their eyes as he left the room nervously.

"I don't remember if you mentioned it earlier, but I have to be back to fighting within a certain period of time or else I'll be disqualified, am I right?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow

"Indeed" said Azula, sighing "From what I recall, the time span is of three months. If you don't return by then, you'll be off the business for an entire year before you can get back to fighting"

"A… a year?!" he gasped, surprised.

"We don't want that, do we?" muttered Azula, frowning, deep in thought

"No… not at all" said Sokka, his left hand curling up in a fist. If his recovery took longer than three months, he would have to wait an entire year before returning to the league, delaying his imminent return to the Water Tribe…

"Then make us both a favor and don't force your recovery recklessly" said Azula, looking at him now "Pushing yourself over the limits won't help you, it might get you in even worse shape. So please… don't do it"

"I wouldn't have thought you'd be so worried about me, Princess…" he said, smirking suggestively at her.

"I'm relieved to see you've regained your stupidity, at the very least" she replied, making him wince.

"That was mean, Azula… I'm badly wounded, you know?!" he said, moving in bed as he got overly enthusiastic with the subject… but his pain forced him to sit back down as he gritted his teeth, holding back a howl of agony to avoid embarrassing himself before the Princess.

"The one who doesn't seem to recall you're wounded is you" said Azula, rolling her eyes as he bit his lower lip and leaned down on the soft pillows of his mattress.

"Sadly, the pain reminds it to me every single time I try to forget it…" he said, his chest heaving with every breath he took.

The sight of her injured gladiator made Azula frown with worry. Could he be ready in three months? She would seek to confront him with a weak opponent… but even such thing could bring forth horrid consequences if he wasn't fully healed by the time he returned to the Arena...

But her musings were interrupted when the door swung inwards suddenly, startling both the Princess and the gladiator.

"Oh, my!" squealed a familiar voice "You poor thing!"

Ty Lee stood at the threshold for a moment, aghast at Sokka's deplorable state, before jumping towards him, gazing at the Water Tribe man with horror in her eyes

"You're so badly hurt, this is so awful! How are you holding...?" she spoke hurriedly, as Mai entered the room behind her.

But before Ty Lee could come any closer, Azula stretched her arm in front of her, forcing her to halt her advance and stopping her from flinging herself at Sokka.

The other three people in the room stared at the Princess in surprise. Sokka looked at her, not understanding what was this new protective knack she had developed towards him, Ty Lee was plainly dumbfounded, and Mai raised an eyebrow, analyzing Azula's unusual behavior silently.

"Azula...?" asked Ty Lee, eyeing her with caution.

"He's injured, as you can plainly see" she stated, not looking at anyone or anything "Don't throw yourself at him like that, will you? You'll only worsen his condition"

"Oh... sorry" said Ty Lee, taking a few steps back and smiling awkwardly.

Azula lowered her hand then, folding her arms over her chest. She kept the usual stern look on her face, no blushes betrayed her true intent. Regardless the other people inside the room couldn't help but find her behavior to be suspicious.

"How did this happen?" asked Mai, to Azula's relief. Despite trying to remain convincing in her act and doing her best to make it seem as if she had been protective rather than jealous, she was quite irritated by the confused stares the others were giving her.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" she retorted.

"But… how?" asked Ty Lee, her eyes blazing as she looked at Sokka with concern "He's been trained by Piandao… and he had always been so strong…!"

"Clearly, someone was stronger than him this time" said Mai, looking at Sokka's bruised and scratched body "Who did this to you?"

"It was a very tough earthbender…" said Sokka, gulping as he intentionally left out the most surprising features of his last opponent.

"Really?" asked Ty Lee, surprised

"Yes, a tiny, blind, female earthbender" said Azula, making Sokka glower at her as the other two looked at her in shock.

"A blind girl?" asked Mai "How can a blind girl possibly fight?"

"I have no idea" said Sokka, fuming now "Before I knew it, I was fighting for my life. I didn't have much time to figure out how she did it"

"But… a tiny blind girl damaged you like this?" said Ty Lee, worried

"She was the worst challenge I've ever faced" said Sokka, sighing "The deadliest foe I've met… and I'm including her on that list" he muttered, pointing at Azula with his left hand.

"Oh, really now?" asked Azula, glaring at him "From what I recall, I managed to reduce you to your worst possible shape in less than fifteen minutes and with… what was it, two or three blows only? Not to mention you were supposed to have the advantage in that environment… should I add that the doctors say you'll take a few months to recover? Yet you're still facing the consequences of fighting me. Care to say which fight was worse now?"

"Why so defensive, Princess?" he asked, raising his eyebrows inquisitively at her.

"I'm merely proving my point" she grunted, their eyes colliding again as they defied each other through fierce looks.

"Could you two keep your pointless fights to yourselves?" said Mai, sighing "I didn't come all this way to mourn over him losing against a blind girl"

Azula's attention turned to her friend for a moment. Mai was looking at her with a certain questioning in her eyes.

"I've heard many rumors" said Mai "People are saying he's back. Is it true?"

"Yeah, some gossip about that reached me too…" said Ty Lee, biting her lower lip.

Sokka stared at them with confusion, seeing how he seemed to be the only clueless person in the room.

Azula took a deep breath before speaking.

"Indeed, he's back. He returned empty-handed, but he returned regardless"

Ty Lee winced at that. She knew little about the issues regarding royal honor and whatnot, but she was certain that failing on such an important mission couldn't bode well for anyone… especially for the Fire Lord's son.

"I see" said Mai, her face growing clouded with concern "Where can I find him?"

"Where can she find who, exactly?" asked Sokka, his confusion growing more with every waking moment "What's going on?"

"We're talking about Zuko, Azula's brother" said Ty Lee "He returned home not long ago…"

"Wait, he's back?" said Sokka, surprised "And you didn't tell me?"

The upset look on his eyes took Azula aback. Why did he think she should have told him? Zuko's return wasn't so important… at least, not to her. Why would it matter so much to him?

"Was I supposed to?" she asked, raising an eyebrow

"W-well… it's kind of a big deal, isn't it?" he asked, confused

"I don't see why it would be a big deal for you, you don't even know him" said Azula, wary "In any case, Mai… he's might be in his room. Still, I've only seen him once since he arrived, so I don't know his whereabouts for certain. But he's definitely in the Palace someplace, you can go look for him if you want to"

"I'll do that, then" said Mai, nodding before turning around and leaving the room without another word.

"I thought of seeing Zuko for myself now… but I'll wait for Mai's turn to be over" said Ty Lee after Mai closed the door behind her.

"A wise choice… perhaps too wise coming from you" said Azula, with a devilish smirk.

"Hey!" Ty Lee protested, although she was already used to the way the Princess had fun at her expenses "Nevermind that now… say, why was that blind girl so hard to defeat? I mean… you're tough as you are, and you always made cool plans to beat your enemies! So… how come? Did she outsmart you?"

"It's hard to explain" said Sokka, his mood dampening at the mention of the subject again "She was just… extremely powerful. Being blind wasn't a handicap for her at all…"

"But if she's blind, she can't see…" said Ty Lee

"Uh… yeah, that's what makes blind people blind" said Sokka, starting to understand why Azula made so much fun of the girl's wit.

"I meant, if you threw something at her, she wouldn't have seen it coming" said Ty Lee

"Oh, yeah, I thought about that" said Sokka, sighing "Long-distance combat should have been the trick, and it worked when I threw my boomerang at her. But then she sank it into the sand and… and…"

"And…?"

"M-my… MY BOOMERANG!" he squealed, jumping on the bed and making his entire body ache as he did "Owww… damn it! W-where's my boomerang?!"

"Well…" said Ty Lee, at a loss for what to say.

"Azula!" Sokka called the Princess, taking both girls by surprise by his familiarity towards her "W-where is…? What happened to my boomerang?!"

"Would you calm down?!" she exclaimed, shaken by his outburst "I… I don't have a clue, really. It sank in the sand, so… it's probably still there"

"WHAT?!" Sokka squeaked, his voice higher than ever before "B-but… M-my boomerang… Why didn't you get it?!"

"Oh, gee, I wonder!" said Azula, rolling her eyes as she glowered at him "So carrying your almost dead body through the Arena wasn't enough of a feat, no! I was supposed to fetch your silly toy as well! How dared I forget something so important?"

Sokka wanted to retort before realizing how unreasonable he was being. She had carried him… on her own. He towered over her easily, he was pretty well-built and no longer underfed, so it must have taken a lot of strength for the Princess to carry him as she had. He sighed and looked away for a moment, slightly ashamed of himself.

"Sorry for that… b-but the sarcasm wasn't necessary" he muttered, flushing slightly at his dumb reply.

"Apparently, it was" said Azula, still glaring at him "I doubt you would have gotten the message through any other means"

Sokka pouted for a moment. He should be used to Azula being so hard on him, but at times her words were harsher and colder than having a bucket of ice poured over his head.

"W-well… I do appreciate a lot what you did for me" he said, gulping "B-but… is there any chance you can… get boomerang now?"

"What?" she said between gritted teeth

"It's… it's my boomerang, you know?" he said, sighing before looking at her with those huge blue eyes, begging her to go along with his request "I'd go get it myself, honestly… but you know I can't right now, so… pretty please?"

"Pretty…?" said Azula, looking at him with disbelief "What the hell is the matter with you? Who says 'pretty please' in this time and age?!"

"I guess… me?" he insisted, still looking at her in the same manner. If he could have gotten away with it, he would have knelt down and hugged her knees to intensify his pleading, but he wasn't allowed to move his legs just yet.

Azula was slightly disgusted at Sokka's current behavior, knowing he was simply playing her and trying to lure her into following fit with his wishes by looking at her with such eyes. But how could she refuse him…? It wouldn't hurt to drop by at the Arena to ask where his boomerang might be…

"Something must be seriously wrong with me…" she said, shaking her head as she averted her gaze from him.

"Then… you'll do it?!" he asked, his eyes lit up with hope now.

"I…" she grunted, looking at him from the corner of her eye "I hate you, damn it…"

"That means you'll do it! Yes! You're the best sponsor ever!" he squealed, almost starting a strange celebration dance before the pain reminded him to keep still.

"And you're the worst gladiator ever" she replied, although this claim didn't help her to tear down his high spirits "Don't pull anything weird on him while I'm gone, Ty Lee"

"Oh, I won't, no worries" said the girl, who had remained silent as she enjoyed watching the spat between Azula and Sokka as she would have watched a theatre play.

"Thanks, Azula!" Sokka called out as the Princess stormed away from the room, relieved to get away from him and his enticing blue gaze.

* * *

He had no idea why had his feet dragged him towards the fountain in the outer yard so many times now. It was a somewhat special place for him, but visiting it every day would only deepen his current heartache.

Had she forgotten about him altogether? Had she truly moved on? Was she even happy with her husband…? He couldn't believe she would be. They had always been meant to be together… always. They were soul mates, there was a bond between them he couldn't explain to anyone… or had he been imagining things? Perhaps he had felt this way… and she hadn't. She probably didn't even remember him anymore…

Little did he know that she had actually come looking for him. Mai had given some thought to Zuko's likely location, and she had the hunch he might have come to the fountain in which they had fallen together so many years ago. It had been something that started out as a silly joke back then… but before they knew it, their relationship had developed into something more. Mai didn't just drop by at the Palace to see Azula, she had started to spend more time with Zuko and he enjoyed her company far more than he thought he would. She used to be his sister's friend… now she was his friend too. And there was the chance they could be so much more… but he had been banished for speaking without permission, and their blossoming relationship had been doomed.

Mai stood a few meters away from him, her eyes fixated on his fallen shoulders. He looked defeated. Would he be able to move on? Could they remain friends despite it all? She couldn't hold back a sigh as she wondered if this conversation would be any use…

"When was the last time you gave your hair a trim?" she asked, her voice steady despite the anxiety twisting up within her.

Zuko jumped at her voice. His back grew stiff as his breathing grew agitated. He turned around in slight haste, his eyes alight with hope.

It only pained him further to realize the girl had become even more beautiful after all this time. Even the bump on her belly enhanced her splendor. Whereas him… he was a mess.

He didn't miss the way her eyes studied his features, especially the scar over his left eye. Zuko had momentarily forgotten that she hadn't seen his wound before. He lifted a hand as if to cover the flaw on his face, but halfway there he realized there was no point in covering the scar once she had already seen it…

"Y-yeah, I…" he muttered, trying to find an answer to her question "… it's been a long time since I cut it…"

"I can tell" she said, eyeing him with concern. She was still looking at the scar over his eye. Zuko usually hated it when others looked at him in this manner, but he didn't mind so much if Mai was the one to do it "Does it still hurt you?"

"At times" rasped Zuko, looking down "It's not as bad as it used to be… but it's said that burns never stop being painful"

"I've heard" said Mai, sighing "How did your trip go? Did the crew treat you well?"

"Not really" said Zuko, shrugging "I never got along too well with them… I've never gotten along too well with anyone, for that matter"

"You know that's not true" said Mai, finally lowering her sight as well.

Zuko eyed her with uncertainty, glad to see she hadn't forgotten about the bond between them, but still wary. If she hadn't forgotten, why was she with another man…?

"Azula… she told me about your… m-marriage" he said, hardly finding the strength to utter that last word "Is it true?"

"Why would she lie about it?" asked Mai, raising an eyebrow

"Well… it's Azula" he said, shrugging "She likes making me miserable, so…"

"What use would it be for her to make you miserable when you've only just returned home?" asked Mai

"What use was there to making me miserable all those years ago?" asked Zuko, folding his arms over his chest.

"She was a child, and so were you" Mai replied "She's grown a lot in these ten years"

"Has she, now…?" asked Zuko, grimacing. Azula had seemed the same annoying younger sibling she had always been when they had spoken in the Gallery…

"In any case… she didn't lie" said Mai, looking down at the floor "And you can see that clearly enough"

Her hand caressed her prominent womb, making Zuko grit his teeth as he felt his chest split with a crueler pain than anything he had ever experienced before. That child… it should be his. He should be the one she was married to… why had the spirits toyed around with his fortune? Why couldn't anything work the right way in his life?

"Is he… is he a good man?" he asked, his fists balling up and shaking as he tried to restrain his temper. He wanted to yell at her, to ask her for an explanation, to force her to say why she hadn't waited for him… to say that man she was with couldn't have anything on him…

Mai could see the pain in his eyes even though his long bangs were covering his face slightly. He had shaved his head partially before leaving on his long travels, but it seemed he had found no point in sporting such a strange hairdo, thus he had allowed his hair to grow unevenly while still keeping the longest strands tied up in a ponytail.

"Zuko… I'm sorry" she said, tilting her head down. Zuko jumped at her apology, never expecting her to speak such words "I understand you must be shaken, since nothing is the way it used to be before you left… and I'm sorry that you expected from me something I couldn't deliver. Still… Ruon Jian is a good man. He's a wonderful husband, and I'm certain he will be a great father also"

Zuko had to struggle to keep the tears of rage and frustration from leaving his eyes.

"Just as you will be" continued Mai, making him look at her in surprise.

"W-what…?" he stuttered, looking at her with disbelief

"I'm sure you'll be a great husband and father one day, Zuko" she said, looking up to him and letting him see that it also pained her to accept they would never be together "For another woman, and other children… and that woman will be the luckiest girl in the world to have a man like you"

"Y-yeah… sure" he said, and she didn't miss the disbelief in his voice

"Zuko…"

"Mai" he said, looking at her with intensity. Their eyes were locked together for a moment before he finally found the courage to speak again "Does he… make you happy? Are you happy with him?"

A part of her wanted to lie, just out of curiosity. She wanted to know how far he would be willing to go for her sake if he thought she was unhappy… but she wasn't a child anymore. She wasn't about to ruin her life with her husband over a silly whim. Maybe she loved Zuko… but she had grown to love her family above anything else.

"Yes" she declared, and his eyes fell at her statement "I am happy, Zuko"

And that was it. It was the wake-up call he needed to realize his life would never be what he wanted it to be. His father would never let him become Fire Lord… the girl he had loved and trusted had been taken from him when he hadn't been around… what was left for him? What was he supposed to do with his life now? He was just a hollow prince… a failure… there was nothing left for him anymore. His life was ruined.

Still, he found the courage within himself to give Mai a smile. Both of them knew his smile was dishonest, that he truly felt like crying rather than grinning…

"I'm glad…" he said, nodding "I'm glad… that he makes you happy. That's all there is to it, right? It's what matters the most…"

"Zuko…"

"I hope your child is strong and brave" he said, still smiling "Just like his mother. Thanks for… for talking to me. It was good seeing you again, after all this time…"

Mai knew this was her cue to leave, despite her heart was begging her to run at him and embrace him. Still, she knew how inappropriate that move would be… so she just nodded, knowing she was better off staying far from Zuko from now on. He had to heal the wounds she had left on his heart, and being around her would only injure him further.

"It was good seeing you also, Zuko" she said "I suppose… we'll see each other around"

"Y-yeah, once in a while" he replied, trying to shrug carelessly.

"Thanks for… for understanding, Zuko" said Mai, sighing. She knew how hard it had to be for him to relinquish all those dreams he used to have about the two of them being together… but he had to accept they would never come true now, just as she had when she had decided to start a new life with Ruon Jian "Fare well"

"Yeah…" he mumbled, as she turned around and walked into the Palace again.

He couldn't hold the tears once she was gone. He sat at the edge of the fountain, feeling even more crushed and miserable than before at having to face that his fate wasn't to be anything like what he had imagined it would be…

* * *

Azula spent the entire trip on the palanquin wondering why she had accepted to fulfill Sokka's request. She didn't know where she was supposed to find the courage to walk inside the Grand Royal Dome after her shameful display not too long ago… she didn't want to face the questioning looks she would be given by the gossipy people who attended the gladiator fights often. People might even make fun of her… well, they'd better not. She was the Princess, after all, and such disrespect would have dire consequences.

She stepped off the palanquin once they arrived and she stopped to look up at the building ahead before walking to it.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" asked the Captain of her Royal Guard, concerned.

"Nothing's the matter, Captain" she replied "Wait here. I'll be back shortly"

"Understood, Princess" he replied, bowing curtly at her as she walked up the steps that would lead her to the gates of the Grand Royal Dome.

The men at the double doors opened them at once when they saw Azula approaching them. She didn't acknowledge their presence or anyone else's for that matter. She simply strode off towards Shoji's counter, her head held up high proudly.

Still, she couldn't ignore the way she was attracting everyone's eyes. Azula was certain she wasn't imagining things when several people in the vestibule looked at her in awe; some even smiled at her, making her discomfort grow even further. It seemed the distance between the door and Shoji's counter was longer than she imagined, seeing how it felt like it had taken her ages to get to reach the boy.

"Good day, Shoji" she said, startling him and making him put down the scrolls in his hands.

"Princess!" he gasped, surprised at seeing her "I'm… I'm so glad to see you. I'm sorry about what happened to your gladiator…"

"Spare me that nonsense, it's not as if you had anything to do with it" she said, rolling her eyes

"N-no, I guess I didn't…" he muttered "But I could have done more research on the Bandit and told you not to fight her if I had known she was so deadly…"

"Well, I won't deny that would have been helpful" said Azula, shrugging "But it's irrelevant at this point. The fight is done, there's nothing more to it"

"I suppose not" said Shoji, sighing "Is he okay, though? The Blue Wolf…?"

"He's alive" said Azula "He will be fine in a few months' time, according to the Palace's physicians. In any case, I didn't come here to update you on his status, I came here to…"

Azula interrupted herself when someone else approached the counter. A kid was looking up to her with wide eyes, making her frown down at him. She had no idea how to deal with children.

"Zhou! C-come here, silly boy!" said his mother, a chubby woman of dark brown hair, who took the kid by the arm before looking up at the Princess and giving her a kind smile "Please excuse his behavior, Princess…"

Azula didn't say a word. Since when did peasants like that woman smile at her?

"Don't mind them" said Shoji, chuckling as the woman walked away with her child. It seemed he understood why so many people were acting in such an erratic manner… "What were you saying, Princess?"

"Right, I… I came here to find my gladiator's boomerang!" she said, struggling to focus on the issue at hand "Where can I find it?"

"Oh, it's likely in one of the storages on the back… did it fall in the sand during the fight?"

"It sank in it, to be precise…" said Azula, sighing.

"Well, it's still likely back there" said Shoji "The staff arena always check out the sand after a day of fighting and every object they find, they leave in the storages. Wait here; I'll go get it right away"

"Fine… make it quick" said Azula, desperate to leave the Grand Royal Dome as fast as possible.

The muttering in the vestibule only made her more uneasy as she awaited Shoji's return. She had expected people to disdain her after what had happened during Sokka's last fight… but this was a notch beyond what she had anticipated. The way that kid had looked at her… something about this wasn't right. She looked at the people on her left from the corner of her eye, and she realized they were looking at her as they muttered amongst themselves. What was going on here?

"Here! It was quite easy to find" said Shoji, bringing the blue boomerang with him "There you go, Princess…"

"Shoji…" she muttered, anxious already at the way people were acting around her "What's going on here? Why are they… looking at me like that?"

"Oh, you mean… you don't understand, huh?" he said, smiling "If you'd been around for longer, you'd get it…"

"What do you mean?" she asked, frowning

"Well, the way you carried your gladiator the other day… everyone was impressed" he said, beaming

"What? They were impressed?" Azula's frown deepened at that "What was so impressive about it…?"

"You see… it was something most unusual" said Shoji "When gladiators lose, their sponsors are upset and angry, they even leave them to die at times as if to make them pay for their failure… but you didn't"

Azula was confused now. If that was the usual behavior… why would people be impressed rather than displeased?

"You're the Princess… you have lots of servants and slaves" said Shoji "You had no reason to carry him after he lost as he did. But you still did… and with this you taught everyone a lesson about something they had no idea existed!"

"W-what was that?" asked Azula, also unaware of whatever lesson she had supposedly taught the people of the arena.

"That sponsors should treat their gladiators honorably, of course!" said Shoji, beaming

Azula was startled at that sudden assertion. So… she had treated Sokka honorably? She was certain it had been the other way around…

"Most people treat slaves like inferior people" said Shoji "It's a generally accepted notion that they are. But gladiators… they're not just people who pour the drinks of the noblemen and give them bubble baths. They're the ones who walk out into a sand pit representing their sponsors and fighting for them. But rarely are they thanked for their performances… sponsors still treat them as if they were nothing more than the average slave, not caring for their efforts, not respecting them as the fighters they truly are. But you… you're the Princess, and you've set such a marvelous example by respecting and honoring your gladiator!"

Azula frowned and looked around the vestibule. She truly hadn't imagined it, then… people were still smiling at her, gazing at her with admiration. It didn't make much sense to her still, but it was truly a relief that her actions were seen under a better light than she thought they would be.

"I didn't think people would be pleased by that…" she muttered, turning towards Shoji again.

"Why wouldn't they have been pleased?" asked Shoji "You stood by the sidelines, waiting until the time limit was over. No matter if your gladiator seemed to be near his death, you abided by the rules and allowed him to fight until the end. And then you ran off to him, and rather than shaming him, you saved him with your own hands. Everyone's amazed… well, to be honest, not everyone…"

"What do you mean?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow

"Well, you see… your gladiator has become an icon of some sort" he said, chuckling "Well, both of you, really. People are making a fuss over you two being the ultimate gladiator and sponsor combination even when you lost… and it's because you stood by him as you would have done with a fellow warrior in a war or something. It's an amazing partnership… many sponsors have grown to admire what you did and their point of views on the gladiator business have changed. But… there are others who think what you did was offensive to them"

"How come? Is it because they would have preferred it if I had left my gladiator to his death?" asked Azula, folding her arms over her chest.

"It's what they would have done. They're just angry since you make them look bad" said Shoji, laughing "And that only makes you even more famous, Princess. You were already pretty interesting before because you're the first girl to sponsor a gladiator, and you're the Princess, of course… but now you're making a breakthrough in the business like no one else has done before. You're revolutionizing the gladiator establishment!"

Azula's eyebrows moved higher and higher as the boy spoke. She was doing what, now…?

"Anyways… here!" said Shoji, handing her the boomerang "I hope the Blue Wolf improves soon… there are many challenges awaiting him"

"Really?" asked Azula, surprised, taking the weapon in her hand and discovering it was a little heavier than she had thought it would be.

"I meant it when I said you guys had become famous now" he said, chuckling "You're really popular. About five or six sponsors have sent challenges for you, there are lots of people keep asking about when you will fight again… Everyone is eager to see the Princess and her gladiator in action again!"

"Huh…" Azula hummed, deep in thought "Very well, then. Thanks for the information, Shoji. I'll return when my gladiator is ready to get back in the sand"

"Sure thing! I'll be right here, as always!" he said, beaming.

Azula walked towards the exit, followed by many pairs of eyes again. She could make out some of what they were muttering, realizing they were amazed to see she had come all the way to the Arena to retrieve the Blue Wolf's weapon herself. She didn't miss their awe, although she still couldn't make heads or tails out of it. She was certain her deeds had been simply been shameful… but it seemed a great amount of people thought otherwise.

She climbed aboard her palanquin without a word, and soon enough she was being carried back to the Palace. She couldn't understand her actions had been interpreted in the way they had been, seeing how the Fire Nation citizens weren't ones for pity and respect for slaves… but it worked to her advantage if they were suddenly growing softer. People were starting to acknowledge her for something other than being her father's daughter. She smirked at that thought… she had been certain she had ruined her plans completely after Sokka's fight against the Blind Bandit, but it seemed her assumptions were wrong… and she was pleased to see she had been mistaken for once. She couldn't accept any of the challenges Sokka had gotten at the moment, but they were proof that her name and her gladiator's were starting to ring throughout the entire business, just as she had wanted them to. Only time would tell if they could be able to retain the attention they had earned…

* * *

By the time Azula returned to Sokka's room, Ty Lee was already gone. Sokka was napping lazily, his mouth slightly open as a trail of saliva descended over his chin. Azula frowned at the sight, wondering if the snow savage could show no manners even while he was asleep…

She woke him by pushing his head with the tip of the boomerang. Sokka opened his eyes groggily; unaware of what had woken him until Azula pressed the weapon to his chest, making him snap his eyes wide open before shouting.

"BOOMERANG! Oh, damn, I missed you!" he said, clasping it with his left hand and hugging it with one arm. Azula seemed slightly uncomfortable at his reaction, although he failed to notice.

"Reunited once again, the man and his better half" she said, rolling her eyes "Make sure you don't tell 'boomerang' you forgot about him for four days"

"Y-yeah… I won't" he muttered, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't quite registered she was in the room.

"I don't get it, really" said Azula, raising an eyebrow "What's with this boomerang of yours? It's old and dented… you could make a better one if you just put yourself to the task"

"I won't do that" he replied, growing stern all of sudden as he looked at the boomerang in his hands "I can repair it if it's needed… but I'm not replacing it. My father gave it to me a long time ago, and it was always one of my most prized possessions even when I was still living in the Water Tribe. I can't relinquish it, not now, not ever…"

Azula froze. Only now did she realize she knew very little about Sokka's past… and it was strange that he seemed so comfortable sharing his stories with her, of all people.

"I see now…" she muttered, still surprised by the unexpected trust he seemed to have developed towards her.

"Was it hard to find it?" he asked

"Not particularly…" said Azula, absentmindedly

"Good, then…" said Sokka, eyeing her with concern "You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just…" she mumbled, brushing away her thoughts quickly "It's nothing. Don't mind me. Everything went well over at the Arena"

"Good to know" said Sokka, sighing as he rested his back on his cushions "I bet I've fallen back in the ranking, haven't I?"

"I didn't bother asking" said Azula "I rather doubt your position in the ranking is so important, seeing how you defeated a man who was 234th, yet a girl who was just 412th destroyed you. We should care more about our enemies themselves than about their position"

"You have a point" said Sokka "But there's no use bothering about any of those things until I'm better"

"Indeed" agreed Azula "So how you just focus on you getting better for now?"

Sokka flashed her a grin and nodded positively. Azula stood up and got ready to leave the room, but Sokka managed to stop her this time

"Hey, Azula…" he said, prompting her to turn around and face him "Thanks for… for everything you've done for me lately. I mean it… thanks"

She walked away without another word, making Sokka's heart sink slightly. He wasn't aware that she had stormed off just to avoid letting him see the blush that had taken over her cheeks, not knowing how to respond to his gratefulness.

* * *

The next weeks were harder on Sokka, but he didn't mind it so much anymore. He was sick of lying down in bed with nothing better to do but whine about his pain, so he welcomed gratefully the moment when the physicians decided to begin giving his legs some therapy so that he could finally walk again. Flexing his legs and stretching them again were very troublesome motions for him, but even though he complained, he also complied and performed every exercise he was given, in hopes his enthusiasm would help him to get back on his feet sooner.

Regardless, it still took a week after he began his physiotherapy before he would finally begin walking, and there would always be someone holding him up in case he would fall. Sokka didn't mind being assisted at times, but he didn't think he needed as much help as they kept providing him with. Azula discovered he thought this way one day when she dropped by to visit him and discovered him limping across the room, using his Space Sword to support his weight, because he wanted a glass of water and he wasn't about to call for anyone's help to obtain it if he could just as easily pour it himself. He didn't achieve his goal, seeing how he couldn't use his right hand well enough yet, so Azula was the one who had to get him his water, to her irritation.

More days came and went, and both Sokka and Azula worried more at the thought of him not recovering at the pace they had expected. A month and a half had already passed and only his most superficial wounds seemed to have healed completely. He was able to stand on his own after two months passed by, to Sokka's utter relief, but he couldn't move much without the help of his crutches.

Azula walked into his room one day, hoping that by some miracle he would be fully healed by now… and she was surprised to discover him standing by his bed, swinging his sword expertly with his left hand.

"Sokka…" she called him, but he was so focused he didn't notice her presence.

He stepped forward carefully, wincing at the pain he felt on his legs when he stabbed the air with his sword. He continued his motions, moving his feet slowly to accompany his weapon. He was smoother than he used to be, perhaps because he was being more careful than ever before as he moved about. He bit his lip and changed his sword from hand, gripping the handle with his right hand… but even though he managed to hold it, he didn't have the strength to lift the blade.

He huffed with frustration, dropping the sword to the floor, feeling utterly useless… although his grimace vanished when someone else leaned down to pick up Space Sword.

Azula held his weapon in her hand and looked up to him, concerned. He caught the look on her face, feeling even more as a failure than ever before… because he had been the one to worry her so much. He lowered his gaze, ashamed.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered

"You should be" she said "I've told you time over and time again to stop pushing yourself, but you just won't listen"

"I just… I feel like time is running out" he muttered "And I'm not ready yet. What if I can't make it? What if the three month span ends and I still can't move…?"

"You have already moved, Sokka" said Azula "And you're getting better every day, so it's just a matter of…"

"Time, I know" he muttered, as he sat on his bed, since his legs were still not strong enough for him to keep standing for so long.

Azula had no idea what to say; especially since she had the feeling that anything she told him would be useless. Words wouldn't help him… at least, not her words. She frowned before making up her mind and extending his sword towards him. Sokka placed his left hand over hers, thinking she'd let go of the weapon, but she didn't. He looked up at her and saw she seemed determined to do something, although he couldn't tell what it was just yet…

"Azula?"

"You're right… we'll run out of time at this rate" she muttered "We still have one month, though… and that's enough time for us to get a move on. We'll be shipping off tomorrow towards Shu Jing"

Sokka's eyes lit with expectation at those words, and he regained his usual spirits thanks to Azula's unexpected decision.

"Maybe Piandao will know other methods to deal with your wounds… and you need to discuss the matters of your last fight with him as well" she said "So the faster we're done with that, the better for us. You can walk already, so you're ready to go back to his lair"

"Yeah… yeah" said Sokka, smiling and nodding "Finally… Something that'll get me out of this damn room"

Azula smiled back at her accomplice. They had lain in wait for far too long. It was finally time to set out to their adventures once again.

The Princess sent out commands so that her vessel would be stocked up and ready to travel to Shu Jing on the very next day. A carriage awaited Sokka by the Palace's main gates, but to reach it he had to make it through the entire building, seeing how his room was on the other end of the Palace. He wanted to try his luck by walking all the way to the gates, but Azula refused to allow him to continue straining himself, thus she forced him to use his crutches, no matter how much he hated them.

"This is really horrid, you know?" he told her, wincing with every movement "To have these things stuck up to your armpit… it hurts!"

"One would suppose you'd be used to pain by now" said Azula, earning herself a glare from Sokka.

"Very funny" he grumbled, staggering as he struggled with his props "And my right arm still hurts… this is going to be the death of me"

"What do you want me to do, carry you bridal-style or something?" asked Azula

"Would you be so kind?" he asked, smiling stupidly at her. Azula narrowed her eyes before shaking her head.

"You're shameless, truly"

"I could use some help, though" he said, wincing again "If you act as my support on my right side I could stop using this damn thing and avoid getting my right arm in an even worse state…"

Azula sighed at the idea, but she figured their progress might be heightened if she aided him. It felt as if they had spent half the morning on the move already and he wasn't even out in the main hall yet…

"Hand that thing over, then" said Azula, taking his crutch from him as he supported himself with his hand on her shoulder.

"Let's do this" he said, wiping the sweat off his brow as he took another step.

Azula slipped a hand around his waist, making him stare at her in surprise. Azula blushed slightly before turning her face away from him quickly.

"It's easier like this…"

"Oh, really now…? So you're not just groping me?" he asked, smirking mockingly at her

Azula's eyes flared with rage, but, before she could tell him there was nothing grope-worthy about him, an unusual laughter filled the hall they were strolling down from. The loud cackling was also accompanied by some chatter, and Azula managed to recognize one of the voices involved in the conversation. She frowned as two people turned around the corner and walked down to where she was holding Sokka…

And both Azula and Sokka forgot immediately their argument when they caught sight of the other pair walking down the hall: an old man with a huge, round belly… and a small, slender girl with black hair and gray, sightless eyes.

"You're really something, Iroh!" she laughed, as the man beamed brightly

"I meant every word I said" he insisted "I'll show you the basement later, you'll see. Not a single decent batch of jasmine tea to… Oh?"

Azula would have been embarrassed to be caught in such a strange situation with her gladiator, but she was too busy trying to give her eyes credit to bother thinking about whatever Iroh could interpret from what his eyes had just fallen upon.

"Well, well…" he said, giggling "Do you need any help carrying him, my niece? It seems you struggle bearing such a large man…"

Sokka frowned at Iroh, not knowing for certain who the man was, but he pulled away from Azula while looking at him warily.

"What is… what is the meaning of this, Uncle?" she asked, looking at the Blind Bandit with utter aversion.

"Ah, my apologies" said Iroh, laughing "Where are my manners…? Toph, these are my niece and her gladiator. Azula, this is Toph Beifong… my new gladiator"

Azula's eyes widened as her grip tightened around Sokka's crutch. She knew her uncle could be up to no good, she had always expected the worst from him… but this was too much.

"Hey there, Sokka" said Toph, as Sokka snarled in her direction "How are you? Why does it feel like you've got three legs?"

"Y-you…" he muttered, enraged. He had been hoping he'd never see have to see this girl again… and he had mostly hoped she would never see him in such deplorable state. He hated to think of showing her how their fight had damaged him so horribly…

"Oh, you're mad at me?" she asked "Well, gee… I guess I should apologize for my harshness. I shouldn't have gone all out on you, but my former sponsor had told me I had no other choice but to kill you… so sorry about that! Good to know you're on your, uh, three feet again"

Iroh chuckled, making Azula look at him, still trying to find some sense in what was happening.

"How… how come are you her sponsor now, Uncle?" she asked, her angry glare seeming powerful enough to set anything on fire.

"It's a funny story" said Iroh, smiling "Her old sponsor dumped her so I took her under my wing. I've been helping her move from the lousy department she lived in by the outskirts of the city. She'll be staying in the Palace now, I hope that's fine with you…"

Azula couldn't believe his insolence… she could understand, though, why had he done it. She knew him well enough to see right through those amber eyes so similar to hers. He was placing his tiles in the Pai Sho table, trying to drive her into a corner through his moves… but she couldn't let him. She refused to let him…

But how could she avoid it? How could she stop from letting her emotions show in her face when she felt so enraged, so cheated…? This was the lowest thing he could have resorted to… Iroh was shameless. Those ten years at sea apparently had done nothing but enhance his urges to ruin her life…

"Well, Ozai already said he doesn't mind, so I suppose you'll be fine with this also" said Iroh, after realizing Azula was too indignant to reply "I hope you recover soon, gladiator. Let's go, Toph"

"Hear hear, captain" said Toph, smirking "See you around, Sokka! Nice meeting you, Princess…"

The Blind Bandit waved at them as both Iroh and her walked around them, continuing their way through the hall and returning to their previous conversation about tea. Sokka turned to glare at them from over his shoulder, not quite understanding what had just happened. He looked at Azula and was slightly worried to see her so displeased. Her body was even shaking as her gaze fell to the ground, still unable to react at the horrid surprise that she had just been submitted to.

"Azula…?" Sokka called her, bringing her back to reality effectively.

"S-Sokka…" she replied, blinking repeatedly and shaking her head "Let's… let's get moving"

"Who was that…?"

"Let's get moving, I said" she commanded between gritted teeth. Sokka gulped, realizing the last thing she needed right now was somebody pestering her. He nodded and took his crutch back, thinking it would be better to quit complaining for a while. Azula looked as if she had been trampled over by a wild moose-lion after such a great shock, and he didn't want to displease her further.

It felt like ages when they finally reached the carriage that took them down to the port. Azula spent the entire journey in silence, a hand on her brow as she mulled over what her Uncle had done by taking the Blind Bandit as his personal fighter. Sokka didn't bring up the subject, knowing she would be best left alone for now.

It wasn't until they were on the deck of the ship, already sailing over salty waters, that Azula sighed and shook her head, walking to the edge of the ship. Sokka had been performing some of his exercises on the deck, and he figured it was finally time for him to speak with her.

Struggling with his crutches, he walked towards her and stood beside her quietly, looking down at her troubled figure.

"I never… said anything about having an uncle, did I?" she asked, knowing she owed him a few answers.

"I don't think you did… no" said Sokka, leaning against the ship's rim.

"He and I… we've never gotten along" she muttered "He always saw through me, you could say… but I can see through him as well. He pretends to be nothing but a funny old man, an addict to tea and Pai Sho… but that's just the outside. He carries a history of failures and shame with him, in the same way my brother does… yet he waves it all away carelessly, as if his mistakes were just a joke gone wrong. People buy his act all the time, thinking he's such a nice man with so many fun stories to tell…"

"So he goes around pretending to be a good guy" said Sokka, frowning "Yet he went out on his way to get the Blind Bandit as his gladiator…"

"He only did it to ruin our chances" she growled "He saw how she defeated you… so now he wants to use her against us. He knows what I'm trying to pull, so he's going to do his best to stop me… and the Blind Bandit is his best chance to make sure we won't get to the top of the ranking. He's certain that, with her, he will frustrate our attempts completely…"

"Why, though?" Sokka asked, confused "You're his niece… what's his problem? Why would he go all the way to sponsor the Blind Bandit? I mean… if it were anyone else, I'd say you're being paranoid and maybe the dude is only trying to have some fun…"

"Which is what everyone would say, of course…" interjected Azula

"But it's the Blind Bandit, of all people" said Sokka, shaking his head "And that shows he's got some nerve indeed… picking out the worst foe I've ever faced proves you're right. He's not doing this without some sort of ulterior motive…"

"So… you believe me on that?" asked Azula, surprised. People didn't usually take her side whenever she spoke about how Iroh kept trying to bring her down. They laughed it off, saying she was imagining things… that her uncle cared for her deeply, and he was just teasing her. It was an incredible relief to discover someone who thought she wasn't so wrong about her Uncle…

"Why wouldn't I?" said Sokka "I hardly even know the guy, and you've been right in a few things in the past… so I wouldn't think you're wrong. Especially after he's taken the Blind Bandit… he's really trying to stop me from getting to number one, isn't he?"

"Clearly enough" said Azula, frowning "She's the sole opponent you couldn't defeat…"

"I wonder if there's anyone who could defeat her" said Sokka, sighing "So… is there any point to this? If I won't be number one because of him…"

Azula gritted her teeth and shook her head.

"Oh, no. I'm not going to give up, least of all now" she grunted "I admit I thought of giving up on this gladiator madness before, I figured this wasn't going to lead us anywhere… but I'm not going to take a step back just to let him mock us for surrendering in a fight we couldn't win"

"But… if you can't win the fight, you're better off…"

"Fighting it, to the very end" said Azula, glowering at the horizon "I'm not one to encourage suicide missions and the sort… but I won't let him get away with this. I can't give in, not to him… never to him"

Sokka thought he was still far from understanding the fray between Azula and her uncle, but he nodded encouragingly anyways.

"Got it, then… I just have to get better at fighting, and one day I'll find a way to beat her" he muttered

"I know this is a lot of pressure on you…" said Azula "Still, it's not as if we were fighting against them tomorrow. There's a long road ahead of us, Sokka… but I think we can make it. We just have to be…"

"Patient, cunning, strong and whatnot" said the gladiator, smiling down at her "No worries. Piandao will help me find a way to defeat tough earthbenders like her. He'll have great ideas, I'm sure of that"

"I hope you're right" Azula replied, her eyes set on the horizon. Piandao wasn't their only hope… but he was their best option indeed. He could ease Sokka's burden just by giving him a few tricks on how to face earthbenders…

They arrived to Shu Jing after two days of sailing, as usual. Azula had made sure there would be a carriage brought along with them so that Sokka wouldn't have to walk the long road back to Piandao's home. They both climbed on the vehicle as two of her guards steered the mongoose dragons that served to lead the cabin. Both Princess and gladiator remained quiet during the journey, both wondering what advice would Piandao offer them…

Azula knocked on the doors of the huge palace when they had finally arrived, seeing how Sokka wouldn't be able to do it himself. Several minutes passed, yet nobody came to open the door.

"Call again" suggested Sokka.

Azula struck the door once more, but there was still no response.

"Maybe there's nobody home right now" said Sokka, shrugging "They might have gone out shopping…"

"They might…" muttered Azula, frowning "Then maybe we should wait inside. I don't feel like standing around here, doing nothing, until they finally make it back. You pretty much live here too, so it's not trespassing or anything of the sort…"

"Weird to see a Princess searching for excuses to break rules" said Sokka, smiling "But I agree. Let's go inside"

Azula pushed the doors with some difficulty and she entered the mansion, followed by the limping Sokka. They strolled down the usual passageways to reach the main building, both frowning at the unusual state of disarray in the garden that Fat would always keep so tidy.

"This is weird…" said Sokka, concerned "Maybe Fat's sick?"

"Perhaps…" said Azula, although she wasn't looking at the situation from the most optimistic point of view, unlike Sokka. She was getting a bad feeling about this…

They continued on until they were finally inside the house. Dust covered the remaining furniture in the living room. Piandao's calligraphy table was gone along with several more items that used to decorate the house.

"W-what… what happened here?" asked Sokka, his eyes growing wide as he limped about, looking at the room in shock "Was it… s-some sort of robbery, or break in…?"

"I don't… I don't know" muttered Azula, thinking it would be too cruel to spell out the truth to Sokka just yet "Stay here. I'll go take a look at the upper rooms…"

Sokka nodded, but even before Azula was gone he knew she wouldn't return with good news. It didn't matter how hopeful he wanted to be about this, he couldn't kid himself when the evidence was spelling out to him that this place had been vacant for months.

Piandao was gone.

**My deepest apologies for the long wait for this chapter, though I'd like to think I made it up to you all by making it so lengthy! Sorry again for the delay, I doubt it'll happen again and I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! See you again on the next one!**


	20. Chapter 20

They didn't know what they were searching for. The guards checked every single room, canvassing the mansion in its entirety. They even rummaged through the wide terrains that surrounded the walls secluding the building. Still, there was no evidence to show that a man and his butler had lived here recently, no evidence other than the word of an injured Water Tribe man who sat in the mansion's vestibule, his head between his hands as he tried to come to terms with reality.

Sokka couldn't believe Piandao had left without a word of farewell, without giving him a message to let him know when he would return or what sort of exercises he should do while he was gone… The mansion looked as if nobody had lived within it for months, judging by the amount of dust on every corner of the house and also by the neglected gardens, which had even grown weeds at this point. But the emptiness within the very house made it seem as if nobody had lived in it ever before. There was nothing left in either Piandao or Fat's bedrooms to show they had once belonged to them. No clothes, no paintings, no calligraphy, no Pai Sho boards, no swords… nothing. The forge was still stocked up, to Sokka's surprise, but there was nothing left to betray Piandao's presence in there either. It had been as if somebody had erased his existence and everything he had ever been in contact with…

"We just went to town as you requested, Princess" said a guard, catching his attention as well as Azula's. She had commanded most the men under her control to take part in the thorough search for Piandao, and often they came to give her the reports of their findings… or, in every case so far, the lack thereof.

"And?" asked Azula, sensing Sokka was stirring from the couch he had been resting on, his ears perked as he hoped for good news.

"Nothing, Princess" said the man, lowering his head "The townsfolk say they haven't seen Piandao or his butler in around two months. We went to every house and asked every family head if they had noticed anything unusual around the time of their disappearance, but we have nothing. Nobody knows when he left, or how, or why"

Azula frowned and nodded, dismissing the man without words. Sokka struggled to get back on his feet using his crutches, and Azula sensed him limping towards her.

"Have you checked everything yet…?" he asked "Every possibility… everything?"

"Not everything… not just yet" she replied, sighing "But if there's nothing so far, Sokka…"

"This makes no sense" he grunted, gritting his teeth "Did he really… leave? It so absurd I can't get my head around it…"

"He must have left" said Azula, frowning "I find it unlikely that he was dragged off if there's no sign of a struggle…"

"But where could he have gone to?" asked Sokka "From what I know, he didn't have a ship or anything of the sort… this makes no sense, Azula. Don't you think he might still be in the island?"

"I rather doubt it, Sokka…" she said, unsure of what to do about the desperate look on his eyes. He should know better than to keep his hopes so high when every sign was unfavorable to his cause.

"Can't you send your guards to search the entire island, though? It's not so big" he said "I'd go myself, since I know the territory really well, but…"

"Don't even think about it" said Azula, rubbing her forehead "I don't think there will be any point in doing that, Sokka. If Piandao is gone, then…"

"He can't be gone… he can't be" grunted Sokka, shaking his head "Maybe I was wrong and he did have a ship, and he went off on some fishing trip… you should send someone to port to ask if he was seen there"

"Sokka…"

"He can't be gone, Azula" he said, his eyes fixated in the floor "He can't be…"

Azula sighed, knowing there was nothing she could do to change Sokka's disbelief just yet. Each time she tried to have him face the facts, he'd seclude himself in his bubble of denial, still believing that Piandao would have never left him without a note, without a goodbye…

It wasn't so hard for Azula to believe he had vanished as he had. She had never grown to trust Piandao completely; he was mysterious and unpredictable, honorable yet deceitful at the same time. But explaining this to Sokka at the moment would serve no purpose; he would only shut himself down and deny her words, disregarding them no matter if they were false or true. Still, he couldn't continue refusing to accept that his master had left, and from what all the clues from this riddle spoke, Azula garnered Piandao wasn't going to return anytime soon, if he was to return at all… but, regardless…

"Captain" she called out, turning her back to Sokka "Search the port and the shores of the island. If Piandao left with so much luggage, he could have only done it over water. There might be some hints of a ship anchoring someplace. Take one of the emergency boats of the barge and use it to inspect the perimeter of the island"

"That will take a long time, Princess" said the Captain, frowning "This search isn't getting us anywhere. We should make for the Capital again already…"

"Do as I say, Captain" Azula ordered, her eyes glowing with that dangerous glint that promised dire consequences if she wasn't obeyed at once.

The Captain stiffened, holding back his urges to tell her to quit playing her gladiator's game… what was so special about that brat anyway? He was but a slave, whereas he was the Captain of her Royal Guard! Why did she treat the gladiator much better than she treated him? It was absurd… Thus he stormed off without another word.

"Thanks…" muttered Sokka behind Azula. She turned to look at him, knowing he truly appreciated the way that she had complied with his wishes, but also noticing his despair was turning into hopelessness. He wasn't truly expecting them to find Piandao anymore.

But what bothered Azula wasn't the fact that Piandao was gone. She had come to terms with that ever since she realized he had left… the true problem was what to do now that Sokka's master was missing. What should be their next move?

* * *

Helping Toph move out of her old, shabby department and into the Royal Palace had been quite a predicament, partly because Iroh didn't even feel at home in the Royal Palace himself. He had stayed over with Toph for a while until Iroh had lost his patience when there had been no more tea left in the house, and Toph scarcely had any money left to buy more. Thus, after a few conversations, they had decided she was better off moving into the Palace, since she wouldn't have to worry about money if she became the Fire Lord's guest. Iroh had asked Ozai, on a chance encounter, if he had any qualms about him keeping his gladiator around. Ozai had frowned, wondering if having a gladiator was the trend these days… but regardless, it was of little importance to him if his older brother had a gladiator or not, so long as she behaved properly. And seeing how Toph had been brought up by noblemen, she could pull off a decent conduct if she only put her mind to it.

But with all his latest endeavors, Iroh had let someone slip from his mind for a while… and he was surprised to enter his room to find his nephew leaning on the window, looking even more upset than usual.

"Prince Zuko… what are you doing on my window?" he asked "I hope you're not thinking of jumping off…"

"I probably should" he moaned, crossing his arms on the windowsill and laying his head down on them, covering his face.

"Please, don't" said Iroh "If you jump off my window, everyone will think I was the one to push you! It would put me in a very awkward position…"

Iroh's statement was enough to make Zuko jump and glare at him, prompting Iroh to release a cackle of laughter.

"Uncle… I'm serious here!"

"You aren't serious, my nephew" said Iroh, smiling as he walked to him "You can't truly be thinking of jumping off a window, or else you would have done it by now, and in your own room. You're here because you wanted to talk to me, not to commit suicide"

Zuko hated it when his actions were so easy to read, but his uncle was too witty for him to outsmart. He sighed and shook his head, his hand going up to his forehead.

"Where had you been?" he asked "I…"

"I was spending some time with my new friend, whom I'd like to introduce to you" said Iroh, beaming before stopping to look at Zuko. He truly seemed to be devastated "Were you about to say something else, Prince Zuko…?"

"Maybe you should stop calling me that" he muttered, as his fingers slipped along his dark locks of hair.

"What…? Is there something you wish to tell me, Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh, frowning. Ozai couldn't have possibly stripped away Zuko's birthright, could he…?

"Everything's a mess, Uncle!" he complained, snarling "Father… he won't see me, he's even avoiding me! As if… as if I had shamed him…"

"Is he, now…?" asked Iroh, thoughtful. So Ozai didn't want to see him… well, that wasn't the worst case scenario just yet "He hasn't seen you, then? Maybe I'll have a word with my brother. I'm sure I can convince him…"

"Don't bother" said Zuko "He won't care no matter who asks him to meet me… my father hates me, I know it"

"No, he doesn't, Zuko" said Iroh, walking to him "You know Ozai. He's always been quite harsh. It will take time for him to warm up to you again, but once he sees you have learned your lesson after all those years at sea, he will welcome you once more"

"But what lesson was I supposed to learn?!" asked Zuko, pushing Iroh away when he felt his hand on his shoulder "I didn't learn anything, Uncle! Anything!"

Iroh looked at him with concern. Perhaps Zuko really had learned nothing at all… no, he refused to believe that. Zuko was merely frustrated right now, their time traveling and seeing the world's current state had changed him and turned him into a better man, a just man, a man worthy of the crown…

"You know that's not true, Zuko" he said, patting him on the shoulder again. Zuko didn't brush him away this time "You have learned a lot. You were banished as a boy, now you have returned as a man. A brave, strong man who always does the right thing…"

"Huh, yeah…" said Zuko, shaking his head "I'm a great man, aren't I?"

Iroh didn't appreciate the sarcasm, and now he could sense Zuko was troubled by something else, something that had nothing to do with his father…

"If I'm so great, then why did she…? Why did Mai…? Why did she marry that guy…? Why did she forget about me…?" he asked, his fingers digging into his scalp now.

"Oh…" said Iroh, grimacing "She married another man, is it…?"

"She's pregnant with his child!" Zuko yelled "She should be carrying my son, not his!"

"Oh, Zuko…" said Iroh, shaking his head.

"It's not fair, Uncle! Why did my life have to be like this?!" he yelled again, covering his eyes with his hands now.

"Now, now…" said Iroh, patting him gently "There's no need for you to feel so bad about yourself, Zuko. You're going through a hard time right now because many things have changed, and not for the better… but if you wallow in your disgraces, you won't be ready to take good things when they come find you"

"Good things, come find me?" asked Zuko, with a skeptical laugh "Uncle, if anything I'm a magnet for bad things, and good things seem to hate me… Every single time I get something good, it gets ripped off my hands before I can enjoy it. Nothing good is ever going to happen to me…"

"Not with that attitude, for sure" said Iroh, shaking his head "Come on, my nephew. Stop thinking about those troublesome matters. There's somebody I want you to meet"

Zuko frowned as Iroh dragged him outside the room, guiding him to the Palace's gardens. Zuko was unwilling to meet anyone at first, thinking this mysterious person would be some boring nobleman his Uncle wanted to play Pai Sho with… and he was thoroughly surprised to discover otherwise.

Lying down on top of a rock, chewing on a piece of wheat that only she knew where she had gotten it from, was a slender small girl with black, long hair. Zuko frowned at the sight. Her green fine garments showed she was a former Earth Kingdom citizen, likely from high society… so why was she lying around in such a sloppy fashion?

"Who's that?" asked Zuko, looking down at his Uncle briefly.

"That's exactly what I should be asking…" said the girl, climbing off the rock and landing hard on the ground with her bare feet "… but I'm afraid Iroh only ever talks about you, so I pretty much could write down your biography if only I could write"

"Huh?" asked Zuko, staring at her with confusion "What's…?"

"Can't tell I'm blind? I thought you were brighter than that, Prince Zuko" said Toph, mockingly.

Zuko glared at her for a moment, not even caring if she was blind or not. Who was she to say if he was bright or not?

"Who is this, Uncle?" he asked, still scowling at her.

"She's Toph Beifong" said Iroh, proudly "And she's my brand new gladiator"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, _Your Highness_" said Toph, still in a derisive tone as she bowed down dramatically.

Zuko's eyes narrowed. This made no sense.

"Gladiator? N-no way… why do you have a gladiator? Why would you want a gladiator, Uncle?!" he asked, jumping back as he looked at Iroh with disbelief "You're… you've got to be kidding me! Why would you need something like this? Have you lost your mind, Uncle?!"

Toph's smirk vanished at Zuko's response. The stories Iroh had told her about Zuko hadn't quite made her warm up to him, but she had thought that, by meeting him, she would discover why Iroh held him in such high regards. Now she was in front of him she feared she would never understand what made Iroh care so much over this brat…

"Why would you do this?" Zuko continued "Gladiator fights are stupid, pointless violence! Don't you always say that violence isn't the answer? Well, what sort of answer are you looking for that you ended up doing this?!"

"What about you stop thinking of the answer and you look at the question?" said Toph, making Zuko turn towards her "The question would be, of course 'what say would a guy like you have upon this matter?'"

"W-what?" said Zuko, frowning

"Just saying… you're not the type to understand what a gladiator fight entails" said Toph, shrugging "As I said before, you're clearly not very bright"

"Well, neither are you!" yelled Zuko "You're just a slave getting used for entertainment!"

"Gee, it sounds really bad when you describe gladiators like that" said Toph, grimacing "Good thing I'm not really a slave, then"

"What…? You're not a slave?" asked Zuko, shocked

"Woah, you even have to repeat things to understand them? Damn, you really are dumb!" said Toph, laughing

"Quit making fun of me!" yelled Zuko, losing his temper as he often did.

"Stop, both of you" said Iroh, standing between them to prevent a fight. The stern look on his face was enough to convince both Zuko and Toph to grow quiet briefly "If you behave like this you'll never reach an understanding…"

"I don't want to understand her!" said Zuko, glaring at him "I'm trying to understand YOU! What's this supposed to mean, Uncle?! Why are you doing this?! You didn't like gladiator fights, as far as I was aware of!"

"That was before he saw me fighting in the Arena" said Toph, smirking "Am I right?"

"Zuko…" said Iroh, sighing "You'll understand in time"

"What am I supposed to understand in time? That now you're promoting useless violence rather than condoning it?! What's the matter with you?! You make no sense, damn it!" said Zuko, storming off through the garden, leaving both of them behind.

"What a wuss" said Toph, climbing on her rock again as Iroh stared after Zuko's figure "That's quite a feeble-minded nephew you've got there, Iroh"

"He'll understand in time…" said Iroh, sighing. He had expected a better response from Zuko… he wished he would move past his previous life already and quit moping, but he couldn't force Zuko to accept his new life. He was the only one who could embrace new things into his life… if only he gave himself a chance to seize some happiness…

* * *

Night had fallen and there still were no reports from the scouts Azula had sent out to search through the shores of Shu Jing. She had no idea if there would be any traces of Piandao anywhere, but she rather doubted there would be. If they had been as careful as they had by removing most objects from the house, surely they wouldn't be sloppy enough to leave any clues if they had sailed away somehow.

And she knew Sokka was thinking the same thing when she spotted him, sitting in the steps that led up to the main building, his eyes fixated on the gates as he awaited to see the guards returning with any news… expecting those news to be bad, of course. There had been no good news so far, and by this time, he doubted there would be.

"You should get some sleep" suggested Azula, walking up to him. Sokka shook his head.

"I'm not drowsy yet…" he muttered, his gaze in the ground.

Azula knew his spirits were down at last… he had relinquished every hope already even though he didn't want to do it. She approached and sat by him quietly, studying his features carefully.

"Do you want something…?" he said, looking up at her for a moment.

"Why would I have to ask something of you?" was Azula's reply

"Well… I don't know why else would you come sit by me when I'm such lousy company" he said, smiling weakly.

"You're lousy company at all times, yet I still put up with you" said Azula, smirking at him. Sokka rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny that dealing with her cold words was somehow a relief. It was nice to see a few things would remain the same, no matter what.

He sighed again, leaning back against a column as he stared at the night sky.

"Why do you think he did it?" he asked, frowning "Why would he take off without leaving anything behind… well, anything but me, that is"

"How should I know, Sokka?" said Azula, shrugging "I hardly knew the man…"

"Right. I should be the one to have an answer to that, since I got to know him better" sighed Sokka, but Azula frowned.

"I don't think you knew Piandao half as well as you think you did, Sokka" she muttered, warily. Sokka lowered his gaze towards her, confused.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, frowning

"He's not… well, he hasn't always been the man who trained you, Sokka" said Azula "He hides many secrets, secrets you could hardly fathom"

"And how do you know about those secrets, exactly?" asked Sokka, skeptical "He never trained you, so how would you know more about him than I do?"

"I already said I don't know nearly enough about him" said Azula "But there are a few things regarding his life as a soldier… that you might be better off not knowing, truly"

"Such as…?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "Come on, you don't expect me to sit back and ignore what you just said, do you?"

Azula sighed. He would never stop pestering her now, would he? Telling him that remaining oblivious to it would be best for him had served no purpose at all.

"I guess that's too much to ask of you, indeed" said Azula, folding her arms over her chest as she rested herself on the column opposite to Sokka's "Piandao used to fight in the army, I believe I mentioned that before… he held quite a high position, Colonel or Captain… I can't remember at the moment. His troops were serving under my uncle, General Iroh, during a siege to an Earth Kingdom city about two decades ago. The siege ended successfully, but it almost fell apart at the last expected moment due to an uprising within the Fire Nation army in itself"

Sokka gulped at those words. Somehow, he could imagine what this story was about to unfold in…

"A group of soldiers made an attempt on my uncle's life" said Azula "He was the heir to the throne by the time, so it would have been a catastrophe if the assault had succeeded. The group of conspirators was caught in the act, and they were executed for high treason against the Fire Nation"

"Uh… what does this have to do with…?"

"The soldiers involved in the attempt were the ones under Piandao's direct command. They were his men" said Azula "Piandao's actual involvement was never proved, there was nothing to evidence he took part in the conspiracy, but most people believed he was the mastermind, or at the very least, he was aware of his subordinates' plan and he didn't stop them. It didn't take him a week to hand in his resignation after this event took place"

"Well, doing that was probably out of shame, if anything" said Sokka, frowning "It's not as if he had been involved for real… I mean, if there was no proof…"

"Indeed, that's what it would seem" muttered Azula "He was rumored to have come to live in Shu Jing to get away from the pressures of life in the army, that he felt shamed and disgraced… but there were also others who said he had grown to despise Fire Nation in itself due to the ruthless punishment his men had received by order of the Fire Lord himself. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"I suppose…"

"Yet if it does, why did he bother training my brother?" asked Azula, looking up at the sky "People say he found Zuko to be worthy… I wouldn't be so sure of it. I always had the feeling he had agreed to train him because of ulterior motives. Zuko wasn't really that good with weapons, he spent most his time whining and blaming everyone else for his failures. What's so worthy about a brat like him?"

"Maybe he's not as bad as you think…" said Sokka, gulping "But I guess I have little to say about it, seeing how I don't even know him…"

"The weirdest part is that Zuko learned how to fight with dual dao broadswords… whereas Piandao usually wields jian swords like yours" said Azula. Sokka looked at Space Sword, dangling on his shoulder "I'm not entirely certain, but it seems to me as if he taught Zuko an easier form of fighting. According to some books I looked at, those weapons aren't supposed to be wielded in the way you use your sword… they're not half as complex, but they're several times as deadly. And most men who consider themselves sword masters use jian swords, not dao swords"

"What are you getting at?" asked Sokka, frowning.

"I'm saying… that it's likely Piandao was trying to teach a few things to Zuko that he shouldn't have been taught at all" said Azula, stern "He might have been involved in the first attempt against the crown… why not on a second one?"

"You're trying to say that he was grooming your brother into killing a Fire Lord?" asked Sokka, aghast "N-not possible. That's absurd. He wouldn't do something like that, not an honorable man like him!"

"Then why did Zuko only learn to handle broadswords?" asked Azula, her gaze in the ground now "Why was he only ever taught to use weapons that hardly have any beauty, any art to them, weapons favored by many warriors because of its simple potential for murder? They aren't the weapons of a true sword master… also, Zuko attended lessons with Piandao since he was five. He came by in irregular intervals, yet he still attended until he was about ten. Dual dao swords… it's said that they're easily mastered within a week. Why, then, is that the only thing he can use despite such a long time training under Piandao?"

"But… maybe you're right on another regard, then" said Sokka "Maybe your brother wasn't worthy of being taught by Piandao, and he only bothered teaching him so that your father didn't kill him for refusing"

"My father would have likely laughed if he had heard Zuko was proclaimed unworthy" said Azula "Well, perhaps not. But he wouldn't have blamed Piandao for it. He never had a good image of Zuko, always thought of him as a failure. Still does, apparently. I guess he's still one"

"Well… maybe Piandao didn't know that" said Sokka, stubbornly "He thought he could be in danger if he refused the Fire Lord"

"Do you believe Piandao to be a man who would be intimidated by my father's ways?" asked Azula "He didn't get intimidated by me, and my father was just a Prince back then, just as I am a Princess now. I don't see why he should have accepted an unworthy brat if he didn't want to"

"Well, damn, he accepted me" said Sokka, shrugging "Your brother was a Prince, I'm just a slave…"

"Yet Piandao thought you as one of the most talented men he had ever trained" said Azula, making Sokka bite his lip lightly "You, a slave. And he's a prince. Does that show you what I'm getting at? Piandao didn't care for where you came from, or where you were going… he trained you because you deserved it. Zuko, on the other hand…"

"But this is absurd" said Sokka, shaking his head "I mean… he was always talking to me about honor, teaching me so many lessons… I thought he was the best man I'd ever met! Now it turns out he was a conspirator against his own people?!"

Azula could see the hurt clear across Sokka's face. He didn't want to believe her words, and she didn't blame him for it.

"Sokka…" she muttered, looking at him as she sought out the right way to convey her current thoughts "Piandao was a man of many secrets, a mystery in himself… and can you blame him, truly? The man made mistakes like the ones you've just heard about, and he didn't disclose them to people like you because he regretted them. Secluding himself in this mansion, living in an environment like this one… he probably did it because he was repenting. Perhaps you didn't know him too well, perhaps there are many things you'll never know about him… but what you know, you should treasure. Because that man… he truly made you the strong warrior you are today. If it weren't for Piandao, you probably wouldn't be sitting here right now. So… don't forget that man. Stop thinking about the Piandao you didn't know, the one behind the curtains, the one who fled… just remember the one who thought you were the most talented man he had ever trained"

Sokka's eyes widened at Azula's words. The way her eyes gleamed as she spoke… he could tell she spoke the truth, that she was actually worried about him. Was it just his imagination, or was she suddenly more beautiful than ever right now, under the moonlight…?

He managed to smile at her, a smile that longed to be more honest, but it was enough for Azula for now.

"That was unusually kind of you" he said, chuckling "Is the Princess growing soft all of sudden?"

"Wouldn't you love it if I were…" said Azula, rolling her eyes. Sokka smiled at her before looking at the gates again.

"Still… why do you think he left? I mean… if he was repenting here, you think he took off because he's done with that? You think his repentance time is over?"

"I have no idea, Sokka" said Azula, shrugging "I don't know, and I doubt I ever will. Maybe he found a new path in life. Let him go already… he has taught you everything he could teach you. Maybe the rest of the road to become a sword master you should find on your own"

"Maybe" said Sokka, shrugging "He did say I was mostly lacking experience… but a message of some sort couldn't have hurt, could it? At least a sign, something to tell me what I should do now that he's gone…"

"He might have told you something" said Azula "But you failed to notice it was a farewell. He could have laid down all the signs and you were too dense to understand them"

"Oh, come on, there's no way…!" he started, before freezing in the middle of his claims. Piandao had behaved oddly before their last departure… "Oh, damn it… this can't be…"

"Sokka?" said Azula, narrowing her eyes and frowning "Did you remember something, by any chance…?"

"Not… not quite" said Sokka, sighing as he rubbed his forehead and shook his head, ashamed of himself "Damn it… before we left to the Capital, he said something to me. You walked off because you were mad at me and you didn't care, I think… and I was too puzzled at his words to pay much attention, but I thought it was odd! He complimented me, I believe… and I thought it was really strange that he'd say such things, because it wasn't as if we were departing forever… damn it, it was his goodbye and I didn't even notice! And I can't remember what he told me… I suck"

"You're a moron indeed" said Azula

"I don't even have the strength to deny that" said Sokka, sighing heavily "I'm a fool… can't believe this. So he didn't leave a message… he actually said goodbye. He said it. And I never thought… I didn't know…"

Sokka was startled to feel a hand on his shoulder. He lifted his head, surprised to find Azula was trying to comfort him somehow… though she pulled her hand away immediately, bashful and insecure.

"Just… there's no need to feel that way" she muttered, blushing slightly "Now you know it, though. He really left, and seeing how he took most his items with him, he's not likely to return, so there's no point in seeking for him anymore"

"I guess…" he replied, giving up at last. She was right, this goose chase had to end eventually…

"I'll call in the guards so we can take off in the morning, then…" said Azula, getting ready to move out, but Sokka stopped her.

"Huh? Take… take off? What do you mean?" he asked. The Princess raised an eyebrow at his question.

"What else could I mean? Did you think we'd stay here to no avail, Sokka?" she replied.

"Well… I always stayed here" said Sokka, shrugging "It's pretty much my home by now… even if Piandao is gone"

Azula frowned and shook her head in disapproval.

"I beg to differ. There would be no purpose in you staying here if Piandao is gone. It may look like I have endless resources to you, but traveling back and forth all the time wasn't half as easy as it seems to you. Stocking up, taking so many guards out of their usual routines… it's actually far more costly than you imagine. I only accepted this mad endeavor, as I told you some time ago, because Piandao would have refused to move out of the mansion if I requested him to come to the Capital to train you there. If he's no longer here, then you have no reason to stay"

"B-but…"

"Sokka, use that supposedly brilliant brain of yours for once, will you?" she grunted "If he took everything with him, if he's been gone for over two months, if nobody has seen him in such a long time… do you truly believe he'll return? Really?"

Sokka sighed and shook his head, feeling defeated.

"I just… I thought that this place belonged to him, and leaving it vacant, just like that… it would be a pity, truly"

"It would be" Azula admitted "But this mansion wasn't always owned by Piandao. It used to be the house of some nobleman who was stripped off his titles, I believe. The mansion was empty, and Piandao took it for himself when he found it. He leaves it vacant now, in the same way it was before he came across it all those years ago. Someone else is likely to come live in it eventually, I suppose…"

"Can't I be that someone…?" he asked, annoying Azula slightly.

"Sokka, it's plainly inconvenient. Staying in the Capital will work better for both of us. I'll find you another master somehow, if there's anyone out there who could perchance teach you something Piandao hasn't taught you yet. And you can have a new house too, since I doubt you'd want to stay in the Palace…"

"You'd really do so much for me?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"You're my gladiator, damn it" said Azula, rolling her eyes as she stood up "What do you think is the job of your sponsor, exactly? I believe we struck a deal when we started out with this… and I said anything you needed, I could grant it to you with ease. There you have it"

"So… that's all there is to it?" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow "It's your job…?"

"What else were you expecting?" asked Azula, looking at him from above.

Sokka was taken by surprise by that question. Indeed, what had he been expecting? What had he grown to expect from her after all this time…? It was her job, and his was to fight in the Arena… everything else was a bonus. Still, it had been quite the bonus, hadn't it? They were supposed to be using each other to their own ends, nothing other than that… yet, why did a strange feeling stir his gut just by thinking about her? Talking to her was surprisingly fun, and even though she was cruel and brutally honest most the time, he had discovered there was so much more to her than when they had first met. To think she was the same woman who had cut him down in the South Pole… he didn't even think of her like that anymore. She was, truly, his sponsor… and he was quite proud to be her gladiator. Everything else was a bonus.

He smiled at her, taking her by surprise.

"I get it… I get it. I'll go back to the Capital with you… and you can buy me a huge house where I can train with whoever you find to become my master" he said, still smiling "Though I fear that, if this is the way things are going to be, we'll be seeing each other a lot more often from now on, huh?"

Azula hadn't realized this, but the thought didn't displease her at all. The long waits of months to meet him again had been somewhat annoying before, although she feared that now she would find herself trying to escape from him instead… but she didn't doubt it would be worth it.

"Probably" she replied, trying to act as if she didn't care at all about the matter "It will be a drag not to be able to get away from you that easily…"

"Yeah, right…" said Sokka, smirking playfully. Azula merely rolled her eyes before taking a few steps inside the house.

"You should get some rest now. We'll take off in the morning, once the scouts return"

"W-wait…" said Sokka and Azula halted, sighing heavily before turning to face him again.

"What now?"

"There's… one last thing I want to do here, before we take off" he said, struggling to stand up with his crutches. Azula rolled her eyes and helped scoop him up, letting him support himself on her shoulder.

"What would that be?" she asked, raising an eyebrow once he was finally on his feet… and crutches.

"I think I recall my armor got smashed badly on that last fight" he said "What happened to it?"

"I sent it to the Royal Blacksmith. He must have fixed it by now, but I forgot completely about it…"

"It shattered pretty easily, didn't it?" Sokka mused.

"I supposed… Why are you asking this?"

"I have an idea" he said, smiling at her "Come"

Azula didn't feel too lenient to follow him around by command, since it should be the other way around… but she felt responsible for him at the moment due to those injuries. She feared he might hurt himself if she didn't keep watch on him…

So she followed him, helping him walk at several times, and she let him guide her into the mansion's forge. As the guards had reported, Piandao's makeshift weapons were gone. Still, the assortment of metals and instruments were still available, to Sokka's relief. He limped to a corner of the room and struggled to pull out a bag from there. Azula had to help him to achieve his goal, seeing how the bag was very heavy.

"What is this?" she asked, before opening the bag to find a pile of pitch-black stones.

"Remember the weird rock that we saw when we first came to Shu Jing?" asked Sokka, smiling "It's what I used to make Space Sword… and you've seen how amazing my sword is. There were a few times when I even managed to cut Piandao's weapons cleanly with Space Sword, and while his blade was rendered useless, mine was intact. It's a very resistant material… and I was thinking I could make use of it…"

"To make a new armor" finished Azula, thoughtful.

"I thought it would be a good idea" said Sokka, smiling after she finished his sentence "Because, as I told you, this is a very sturdy material… so I think it should work well to avoid sustaining as many injuries as I had to stand during that damned fight. This way, if a psycho earthbending girl flings me towards a spike, it's possible the armor will manage to protect me and I won't end up getting my shoulder pierced completely…"

"It sounds like a good idea" Azula acknowledged "But… Are you really strong enough to do this, Sokka? Making an armor when you can hardly walk on your own…"

Sokka tilted his head, slightly disappointed. Perhaps she was right… How was he supposed to work in this state?

Azula saw the troubled look on his face and sighed. What was it about those blue eyes of his…? Every time he faced hard truths, they became tinged with sadness… and she hated to see him so upset, for reasons she couldn't fathom.

"Well… there are other options" she said, gulping

"Such as…?"

"I could help you, somehow…" she muttered, looking away. Sokka jumped at the suggestion, his eyes darting up at her face immediately, as if expecting to find she was merely mocking him, but seeing how bashful she was, it seemed she was honest…

"Y-you'd do that? I mean… it's a lot of work" Sokka said, grimacing "I won't deny your firebending skills would be a lot of use, but there would be a lot of hammering and folding metal, all that stuff that I doubt you'd enjoy…"

"I wouldn't enjoy it, truly" said Azula, sighing "But it would be best if I did most of it. I've told you time over and time again, I don't want you pushing yourself beyond your limits… so you leave me with no other choice, really"

"B-but… are you sure of this?" he asked, wincing "I could return in a few months, once I'm better, and make the armor myself by then…"

"For all you know, someone else might claim this mansion by that time" said Azula "So it would be most convenient for us to make it right now. The tools are here, you have the knowledge we require… I don't see an actual problem, really"

"But…" said Sokka "Do you really want to do this?"

"That's what worries you?" asked Azula, surprised.

"Well, yeah… I feel like I'm imposing" he muttered, shyly. Azula was shocked by his unusual behavior towards her.

"Well, you're not" she muttered, eyeing him with uncertainty "Shall we, then?"

Sokka still seemed insecure, but he smiled at her, gratefully. They began working soon enough by melting what was left of the meteorite. This was, naturally, the stage in which Azula was most helpful. Sokka was impressed by her firebending techniques to keep the heat within the forge, which helped them to melt the metal much quicker. After this, the difficult part began, seeing how molding the metal into the different sections of an armor was no easy feat for either of them. Regardless, they worked hard throughout the night to make an armor that would fit Sokka properly.

It was already dawn by the time they were finished. Azula was exhausted, seeing how she had been the one to make most the efforts. As an evidence of her weariness, there were dark bags under her eyes, just as the ones under Sokka's.

"Well, it seems it works" he said, with the breastplate in place.

"Yeah, though now you're the Black Wolf rather than the Blue one…" said Azula, eyeing him sideways.

"I can make some arrangements…" said Sokka, taking off the armor with difficulty, but, to his pride, he managed to accomplish it without Azula's help "… and get some blue stuff on it so I can remain the Blue Wolf. What do you think?"

"Do as you wish, I'm too tired to think" said Azula, shaking her head.

"I warned you this was going to be a hassle" said Sokka, chuckling "Come on… let's get going. It's dawn already"

"I can tell" muttered Azula, grimacing at the light filtering into the forge from the east.

They needed the assistance of some of Azula's Royal Guards to move the armor, seeing how Azula was too worn out to carry it, and Sokka still had to walk with crutches, so he couldn't take it himself. They stood in the vestibule of the mansion's main building, both tired and hoping to get some sleep when they were at the ship once again.

"Ready to go, then?" asked Azula, restraining a yawn.

"I suppose" said Sokka, sighing as he looked around the room for the last time "I'll go get my stuff, then…"

"You can't carry your luggage yourself, though" said Azula, sighing "Captain, go with him"

The Captain of the Royal Guard was still displeased over the treatment he was getting lately, but he complied regardless, following Sokka into the gladiator's room.

There wasn't much in Sokka's room, only a few garments of clothing and some bombs he had developed whenever his master gave him spare time. The Captain flung everything he could find over his shoulder while Sokka pocketed the bombs, picking them out of the drawer in his nightstand…

Something caught Sokka's eye as he put the last bomb in the safety of his pocket. He frowned as he picked up the Pai Sho tile, not recalling having brought anything related to Pai Sho to his room.

"Are you coming, Gladiator?" asked the Captain, at the threshold.

"Uh… yeah" said Sokka, struggling with his crutches as he turned around to leave.

The Captain continued on towards the carriage that awaited Azula and Sokka outside the mansion, but Sokka didn't follow him just yet. He limped towards Azula, still staring at the tile in his hand.

"Hey… I just found this on my nightstand" he said, prompting her to turn to him.

"Huh?" Azula frowned as she took the tile from his hand "Isn't this…"

"The White Lotus?" Sokka finished this time "Piandao had me play Pai Sho a few times… but I don't remember him mentioning anything in particular about this tile…"

"He didn't mention anything about it" said Azula, frowning "But…"

The Princess walked to a window and looked down at the training grounds where she had seen Piandao and Sokka fight several times. She pointed down at it, and Sokka limped to reach her, peeking down at the yard as well. The center of the yard was decorated with the same shape of the White Lotus tile.

"W-wait, what?!" said Sokka, surprised "It's the same… it's the same! And actually, now I think of it, he had plenty of things decorated with white lotuses! The gates, for instance, they have a huge white lotus painted on it too!"

"Indeed…" replied Azula, thoughtful.

"And…" Sokka withdrew Space Sword from the scabbard that hung over his left shoulder. The tip of the sword's handle also had the shape of the White Lotus carved into it "… it's on Space Sword too. Why didn't I notice this before? The symbol of the White Lotus was everywhere!"

"Why, though?" asked Azula, a thumb to her chin as she furrowed her brow, deep in thought.

"That's a very good question" said Sokka, frowning as well "What do you think it means?"

"Do you think it means something, in the first place?" asked Azula.

"Princess…" said the Captain, approaching them "We should take off as soon as possible. The tides are… is something the matter, Princess?"

"Nothing in particular" said Azula, still holding the Pai Sho piece in her hand "Although… you don't happen to know if there's any hidden meaning to the White Lotus, do you?"

"The White Lotus?" asked the Captain, looking at the tile "No, I'm afraid not, Princess… but if you're curious about something regarding Pai Sho, I believe you should ask General Iroh. He's quite a fan of this game, and if somebody knows about secret messages hidden within Pai Sho tiles, I believe it would be him"

Azula frowned at the suggestion.

"Indeed… my uncle" she grunted, between gritted teeth "I'd rather relinquish my right to ascend to the throne than ask anything of him"

"Oh… of course, Princess" said the Captain, gulping

"I doubt there's much to this, Sokka" said Azula, handing the tile back to him "Maybe Piandao had taken it to be his personal seal or something of the sort, and he wanted you to keep that tile as something to remember him by. In any case, there's nothing else for us to do here. Let's get going already, shall we? You can ponder about the meaning of the White Lotus later"

"I guess…" said Sokka, nodding as the three of them exited the mansion.

The gladiator stopped in his footsteps right after the Captain closed the doors behind him. Sokka turned around, holding his crutches tightly, and he took one last glance at the first place that had felt like home to him in two years. He sighed, wondering if he would ever return to the mansion… and wondering if he would ever see Piandao again…

Still, clasping the White Lotus tile tightly in his hand, he boarded the carriage with a strange sense of excitement. Something about the latest changes made him wonder what kind of life would await him from now on…


	21. Chapter 21

"Well... I'd say you're all set now, gladiator" stated the physician, after checking Sokka's state "I'll need to take a look at you again in about a week, but it seems traveling did some good to you. Keep using the crutches if you're going to walk too far. Use them also if your legs hurt too much. That would be all for now"

Sokka could have wept of joy when he heard those words. He gave Azula a delightful smile, to which she responded with a raised eyebrow. What other reaction could he have expected from her, she didn't know.

"Thank you for your hard work" said Azula, and the physician bowed down to her.

"Always a pleasure to serve the Fire Lord's daughter and her… slave" said the man, looking at Sokka from over his shoulder before leaving the room.

Sokka stood up without using his crutches and he beamed proudly. He wasn't bound to be able to fight just yet, but at least he should be able to walk properly now.

"It was about time" he said, sighing in relief "I'm back, at last!"

"You're not getting a welcome from me, though" said Azula, sighing "I've had to bear with you for long enough already. I'd rather say farewell instead"

"Farewell? Why?" asked Sokka, surprised "Did you find a good master for me already?"

"No, not yet" said Azula, frowning. It had been three days since they had returned from traveling fruitlessly to Shu Jing. As soon as she had returned, Azula had devoted herself to seek out a new sword master for Sokka, but it had been to no avail. Every man she had interviewed so far had seemed weaker than Sokka, and their pathetic fighting styles were definitely something she didn't want her gladiator to learn.

"Then why do you want to say goodbye to me?" asked Sokka, puzzled.

"Because I don't see why you should stay in the Palace" Azula replied, folding her arms over her chest "We have it bad enough as it is with one crazy gladiator freeloading off us to deal with you as well"

Sokka winced at the thought of Toph. He had caught sight of her again when they had returned and he still couldn't fathom how a tiny girl with such flaccid arms had beaten him in the way she had. Toph would wave at him in a friendly fashion each time they saw each other, but Sokka didn't greet her back. He didn't care how ill-mannered he seemed, he wasn't going to be nice to her. Though, truth to be told, she didn't seem to care for his hostility at all.

"But I got here first" he muttered, pouting "She should be the one to leave"

Azula raised her eyebrows, eyeing Sokka with interest.

"Well, this seems rather interesting… I would have never thought you could grow so fond of the Fire Nation's Royal Palace, Sokka"

The gladiator grew pale at the thought. He had been losing perspective lately, hadn't he? He hated the Fire Nation and loathed everything about it… especially the Fire Lord and everything about him. Staying over in his lair seemed like the most disgusting self-betrayal he could ever indulge in.

"Okay, you got me on that one" he grumbled "Where do you want to dump me at, though?"

"Dump you…?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow at Sokka's pick for words "I don't know, to be honest, but it's of little importance where I leave you. A savage like yourself could live in a box and enjoy it, most likely…"

"A box?" Sokka repeated, glaring at Azula "You can't be serious…"

"I don't see a problem with that" she replied, smirking as she left the room. Sokka rolled his eyes before swinging his weapons and luggage over his shoulders. He grasped his crutches and followed her.

"Weren't you claiming that your job as a sponsor was to give me everything I could possibly need?" he asked, catching up to the Princess "Well, I need a real house or else I'll never be fit to fight more gladiators!"

"That's neither here nor there…" said Azula, rolling her eyes "But I can accept that. I'll just find you some moldy shack in the Capital's outskirts, I guess"

"HEY!" yelled Sokka, growing exasperated, to Azula's delight. Driving him over the edge was an activity she had grown to enjoy "That's not fair! Is that really all I deserve in your opinion?!"

"Of course" said Azula, matter-of-factly "What else were you expecting from me, snow savage?"

"Oh, I don't know…" he grunted "Seeing how you carried my half-dead body across the Arena and how you helped me make my armor I was pretty sure you had grown to care at least in the slightest about me"

"In the slightest…?" asked Azula, thoughtful "I don't think so. You should know well enough that I only put up with you out of convenience. It was what our original deal stipulated, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but I don't think those things I mentioned were in the original deal… or were they?" asked Sokka, eyeing Azula with curiosity

"Indeed, they weren't. There's no use denying that" said Azula "Still, it means you have gotten away with enough favors from me so far. I'm not about to grant you more kindness, seeing how you hardly even deserve it"

Sokka gulped as he continued limping behind her. His legs were bothering him slightly, thus the reason why he was using the crutches at the moment.

"Well, I won't say I'm surprised by your evil ways…" he muttered, dramatically "… But I doubt you meant all of what you said. I didn't deserve such kindness, true… so why did you go for it, Azula? Why did you present me such kindness?"

Azula felt a mild blush growing on her face, but she tried to keep her composure despite her embarrassment.

"Perhaps it was the heat of the moment?" Sokka teased her "You saw me, helpless and fragile, and the heroine within you had to burst out from all those layers of cruelty…"

"What on earth are you talking about?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes

"What else?" said Sokka, smirking "Your obvious feelings for me! Ever since we met you've thought I'm unbearably handsome!"

"Oh, please!" Azula barked, staring at him skeptically "What's so handsome about a pathetic snow savage like yourself?"

"Don't you know it, Princess?" he asked, his smile widening at her response. Azula hadn't even noticed how Sokka had turned the tides around in their conversation: he was the one making fun of her now "High-class ladies can't help but swoon after men like me! We're all you've ever wanted, and all you'll never attain because you're supposed to stick to lame men of noble-birth. No matter if you want to hide it, all you girls want is a nice fling with a guy like me!"

"Probably stupid high-class girls would feel that way" said Azula, gritting her teeth "But I, personally, would rather stick to the annoying noblemen I've met than have a fling with an idiot like you"

"Such lies, Princess… And here I was, believing you were straight-forward and honest all the time" snickered Sokka.

Azula halted and glared at him, taking in his smile and the glow on his eyes. She stormed off again, angrily.

"What's the matter now, Princess?" he mocked her, walking behind her.

"I'm a fool" she said, shaking her head "Letting you play me like that… that's supposed to be my job, not yours"

"You'll excuse me, Princess, but you're too easy to make fun of" he said, chuckling "Although I meant every word I said…"

"You truly delude yourself with such ridiculous illusions?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes as she turned to look at him "In any case, the one who seems desperate to get involved with me would be you, you useless…"

Azula would have finished the sentence if she hadn't crashed against someone who had just come around a corner at that very moment. Sokka forgot their bout momentarily as he eyed the stranger Azula had collided with. His black hair was similar to hers, albeit messier, and he also had a golden gaze… yet what called forth for most attention was the disfigurement over his left eye. He was about Sokka's height, hence, several inches taller than the Princess.

"Zuko…" said Azula, taking a few steps back defensively. A sense of foreboding took over her… something about this situation seemed somewhat ominous "I'm surprised to see you walking around. Done sulking at last?"

"Uh…" Zuko would have caved into her mockery, but he was busy eyeing the foreigner wielding crutches "… what's this?"

"What's what?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, who is that?" asked Zuko, pointing at Sokka

"Don't you know it's rude to point with your finger like that?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow, mimicking Azula's expression without even knowing it.

"Well, that's interesting. Even a savage can give you lessons in etiquette, Zuzu" said Azula, smirking. She'd had a bad feeling over how this would turn out, seeing how Sokka seemed so curious about her brother… but apparently he'd remain her ally. That was good news. Not many people kept to her side when it came to Zuko.

"W-what…? Could you quit talking like that and just tell me who he is?!" Zuko grunted, frowning

"He is…" started Azula, grimacing at the thought of clearing up Sokka's identity. She didn't know if Zuko would suddenly feel the urge to get himself a gladiator if he knew she had her own… and she feared what the consequences would be if he did. No matter how little glory she had attained already, it would all go to waste right away if Zuko got involved in the gladiator business as well…

"The name's Sokka" said the gladiator behind her, making Azula freeze on her spot "I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. And I already know who you are even if you want to keep playing Mystery Man"

"Water Tribe?" asked Zuko, frowning. He had traveled near the Southern Water Tribe many years ago… what sort of business did a Water Tribe man have in the Royal Palace? In fact, what sort of business could he have with Azula? He couldn't bring himself to figure it out, especially since he had heard the two of them arguing in such a casual manner… "Why is he here?"

"You're right, he has even worse manners than me" mumbled Sokka, pouting. Azula smirked "You know, you can talk directly to me, Mr. Prince! I may be a gladiator, but that doesn't mean I'm below you, you pompous royal!"

Zuko's face twisted into a grimace. He wanted to respond to Sokka's accusations, but hearing he was dealing with another gladiator made him turn to Azula again.

"A… a gladiator?! Your gladiator?"

"Why the fuss, Zuzu?" asked Azula, playing with her bangs "Does it bother you that I have more toys than you?"

"T-toys…?" asked Sokka, startled

"T-that's ridiculous, I'm just…!" Zuko said, his temper flaring momentarily "I just don't get it… is it a fad now, to have a Gladiator? First Uncle, now you…"

"Hey! We started out first!" yelled Sokka, lifting his crutch and aiming it to the roof as if he were wielding a sword.

"As a matter of fact, we did" said Azula "Iroh got his earthbending twat several months after I found Sokka"

"Who cares who got his gladiator first?!" said Zuko, exasperated "What's the craze with the gladiator business all of sudden?"

"I don't think a mind like yours could understand it" said Azula, sighing dramatically. Zuko glared at her.

"At the very least, why didn't you mention you had a gladiator before?" he asked

"Probably because you never asked" said Azula, matter-of-factly "Do you need me to refresh your memory so that you can recall all our conversations as of late? In case you haven't noticed, all of them have revolved around you. Not once did you ask what I might be up to nowadays, so I didn't find myself compelled to explain anything about my current endeavors to you"

Zuko froze in his spot as he realized she was right. He hadn't asked anything about her, not even once… he had taken for granted she would still be the same Azula he remembered, their father's favorite child, the flawless girl he had always envied deeply. As he thought about it, he realized this weird gladiator trend was very fitting for Azula. Zuko knew she had always thrived in pointless violence, much like their father did… but he still couldn't piece why Iroh had gotten involved with it.

Regardless, that wasn't the matter bothering him at the moment. He eyed Sokka and raised his single eyebrow as he studied his complexion. Even if he hadn't been using crutches, he would have been the last sort of person he could have imagined his sister would take as her gladiator.

"Why him?" he asked, puzzled "You're the type of person who would get the toughest fighter available… and your gladiator is a guy in crutches?"

"Hey!" Sokka growled, irked "I'll have you know I'm way tougher than I look! I was trained by Piandao himself in the art of swords! And he actually said several times that I was one of the worthiest men he had ever trained! Did he ever say something like that about you, huh?!"

Zuko froze at the gladiator's outburst. Azula seemed pleased by his reaction.

"Piandao?" he asked "You got Piandao to train him?"

"Yeah, she did. Have a problem with that?" said Sokka, scowling at Zuko.

"I just don't see why he would bother training a slave" said Zuko, finally speaking directly to Sokka.

"I told you several times, Sokka, didn't I?" said Azula, turning to look at her gladiator with a smirk of complicity "All that talk about honor that Piandao sold you on… he gave it to Zuko as well, but the knowledge entered through one of his ears and left through the other"

"Yeah, I can see that now…" said Sokka, nodding.

"That's not true!" yelled Zuko, annoyed. The Water Tribe man didn't displease him much, but his sister always got to his nerves with ease "I just don't know why he bothered training a gladiator when the gladiator business is as lowly as it is!"

"You're as thick as ever" said Azula, rolling her eyes "Piandao was bothered over how horrid the gladiator business was. But, regardless, he trained Sokka because he found him worthy to be a swordsman. Worthier than he found you, if I might say so myself"

"Well, his worth didn't do him much good, I'd say" replied Zuko disdainfully, glaring at Sokka's crutches. Sokka bared his teeth at him, ready to smack him on the head with the crutches he was talking about. Azula stretched an arm before Sokka, stopping him efficiently.

"Yet he's far worthier than you, as I said" replied Azula "I wonder if you'd even survive in the sand pit. I rather doubt you'd make it past five minutes"

"Yeah, right…" Zuko grunted

"And if he fights the Blind Bandit, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't last over one minute" said Sokka, making Azula chuckle as she lowered her arm.

"Well spotted"

"I'll have you know I've become far stronger after these years" Zuko said, glaring at his sister.

"Oh, have you, now?" said Azula "So your trip wasn't a complete waste of time? Good for you!"

"Y-you… Azula…" he grunted, the poison on her words wounding him, and Sokka's chuckles helping him grow even more uneasy.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we have far better things to do than discuss your supposedly acquired new strength. I'm pretty certain I'm not going to be impressed when you show me the basic firebending stances you've been stuck with for all your life. Perhaps your fire is a couple degrees hotter now, but I doubt I'll be impressed anyhow. Come along, Sokka"

"Gotcha" said Sokka, smirking as he treaded behind Azula, leaving Zuko standing in the hallway with a prominent scowl on his face.

What the deal was with his sister and that strange gladiator of hers, he didn't understand at all. But he was definitely not pleased to see that his sister had found a new ally to torture him with. She was bad enough by herself.

"Well, well… what's with that weird hairdo, Zuko?" asked a cheerful voice behind him, making him jump and turn around quickly "You look like you need a haircut urgently"

Ty Lee giggled as she saw him, smiling at him in her trademark careless fashion. She had always been a happy-go-lucky girl, from what Zuko could recall. She had changed a lot during these ten years, her figure had grown quite accentuated and she wore some make-up now. Zuko didn't miss how she eyed his scar quickly and grimaced. She hadn't witnessed his Agni Kai with his father, but she surely could imagine how he had gained the burn over his left eye.

"Uh… are you alright?" asked Ty Lee, surprised "You're not checking me out, are you?"

"W-what?! No!" said Zuko, grimacing. Mai was one thing… but Ty Lee had always been Azula's friend in his eyes, never anything else "I was just thinking you've changed a lot… just like everyone else, apparently"

"Yeah, things have become a little messier as of late" she said, smiling.

"Way messier, I'd say" grunted Zuko, sighing "I can hardly keep up with it. Mai, married and pregnant… Azula, with a weird Water Tribe Gladiator… and my uncle gets a gladiator as well! What about you, are you in my father's council now or something?"

"Who, me?!" asked Ty Lee, surprised "N-no, not at all! I'm still plain, old me! Though I am involved in the gladiator business, but mostly for betting…"

"Betting?" asked Zuko, looking confused "What…? Oh, whatever. I'm not even going to ask"

"You can just ask, though" said Ty Lee, giggling "I bet you're really confused, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah… it's been ten years worth of changes" he said, sighing "There's no way I could get used to it so quickly"

"How about I help you get used to it, then?" she suggested, smiling "I could use some lunch… if you tag along, I can try to tell you everything you've missed!"

Zuko was surprised by her proposal, mostly because he didn't even recall getting along with Ty Lee in the first place. Her kindness was welcome, though.

"Why not? Just… keep the gossip to a minimum, will you?"

"Oh, how could I possibly do that?!" asked Ty Lee, pouting as they both walked towards the Palace's Dining Room.

Azula and Sokka walked down the hallways, both smirking at the way they had teamed up to bring Zuko down. Sokka couldn't help but admire the way Azula was smiling right now, thriving in her malice. Defeating Zuko in battles of wit had always been one of her favorite pastimes.

"You know just how to handle him, don't you?" Sokka asked, making Azula smirk even more.

"You've mentioned several times that you have a younger sister, haven't you?" she replied "It's only natural for siblings to make fun of each other in every possible way…"

"Well, probably for you guys… though no, forget it" said Sokka, wincing "My sister was actually just like that with me too. Though I have to say I let her win most the time, I'm way smarter than her so whenever I'd get ahead of myself she would just smack me with her bending…"

"Bending…?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

Sokka froze in his spot, staring at her in horror. Azula was slightly amused at the expression on his face.

"So… your sister is the waterbender in the South Pole" she said, making Sokka stutter as he tried to make up excuses.

"W-what, n-no… I didn't… that's not… n-no, Katara isn't…"

"No need to worry, Sokka" said Azula, shrugging "It's not the type of information that matters much to me. For all I care, your Tribe can remain as it is. I'm done with dealing with you South Pole savages. If it were by me I'd leave you alone and just keep watch nearby to make sure you stay in that frozen hell of yours"

"W-wait… really? Y-you mean that?" asked Sokka, surprised

"Of course" said Azula, frowning "Why wouldn't I be serious about it?"

"W-well, you're related to the man who sent the raids that killed over half my people…" said Sokka, distrustful for a moment

"I'm related to him, alright" said Azula "It doesn't mean we think in the exact same way. I take pride in being far smarter and more talented than my grandfather Azulon. I wouldn't waste my time in that Pole of yours"

"Huh… well, good, then" said Sokka, still surprised.

"Though I have to say I have the short end of the deal" said Azula, sighing "Why did you have to be the one who couldn't bend?"

"Because if I had been a waterbender I would have put out your funny fire for good" he grunted, making Azula acknowledge he was right.

"It would have been an interesting skill for a gladiator, regardless"

"So long as you don't decide to exchange me for my sister now or something…"

Azula stopped for a moment, as if considering the idea. Sokka turned to her, feeling offended

"Hey! After all we've been through, you'd trade me for someone else that easily?!" he squealed.

"Well, if she happens to be a more reliable gladiator than you are…" she said, smirking

"That's ridiculous! She's not going to be reliable, she'll get on your nerves all the time and she'd be even worse than I am about dealing with the Fire Nation, believe me on that one!"

"I was merely jesting…" said Azula, but Sokka continued rambling.

"And she'll get your underwear soaked in freezing cold water and you'll end up with frostbite if you're not careful! And she kept refusing to sew my pants back when I fell down an ice slope and my pants ripped open! I mean, come on! That's plain cruel, making a guy wander around with his pants like that for about a week just because I forgot to say 'please'!"

"You wore the same pants for an entire week…?" asked Azula, grimacing. He didn't take notice of her remark, once again.

"And there was also that time when that damned tiger-seal was chasing me all over the place and rather than helping me get rid of it, Katara was laughing! You hear me?! SHE WAS LAUGHING!" yelled Sokka, his chest heaving as he finished his rant, his eyes glowing wildly after how spirited he had gotten after reminiscing the memories of his life in the South Pole.

"Uh… right" said Azula, smirking slightly "I think I understand now. I got the right sibling indeed… you're the one I can torture mentally. She seems far sharper and crueler than you"

"W-what, sharper?! What's so sharp about her?!" growled Sokka, frowning "I was damn smarter than her, by far!"

"Sure thing" said Azula, resuming her strides as she headed towards the main hallway of the Palace "I'm starting to sense a pattern here"

"A pattern…?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"Yes. You see, you just met my stupid older brother, and you're a stupid older brother to a girl who enjoys your misfortune… it's curious, truly" said Azula, smirking cruelly "But I'd say we're perfectly set as it is. I'll just ask father to banish Zuko to your Pole so that your sister can make fun of him to no end…"

"I don't think I want your brother or anyone from your Nation to be anywhere near my Tribe, thank you very much…" grumbled Sokka, bitterly.

"Ah, well, I suppose I'll spare your sister from the bother anyhow. Dealing with you is, clearly, far more fun than bearing with Zuko" said Azula "And, by the way, that wasn't a compliment. It was just an insult towards him"

"Why did you feel the need to clear that up? I never suspected it was a compliment" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, you're stupid enough to indulge yourself into misunderstanding my intentions" said Azula, smirking.

"Yeah, right…" growled Sokka, glaring at her as they reached the outer gates of the Palace "Say, what exactly are we going to do?"

"Find a place for you to stay" said Azula, frowning "Your short-term memory sure is lousy"

"When will you get bored of trashing me?" asked Sokka, sighing

"When you quit being so easy to trash, I suppose" replied Azula, smirking.

The Royal Guards in duty around the Palace were surprised to see Azula heading towards them, and all of them turned to look at their leader. The Captain sighed, knowing this could only mean trouble…

"Princess, where are you headed to?" he asked

"Out" was Azula's simple response "I won't need the palanquin, so don't bother bringing it forth"

"And I assume that, as usual, you shall remain unreasonable" said the Captain, sighing.

"In that case, you should understand you're not going to change my mind about this" said Azula, her eyes defying him to try and oppose her. She didn't mind having to deal with more verbal warfare.

But to her slight disappointment, the Captain merely sighed and shook his head.

"I can't believe I'm doing this…" he muttered "But I'm sick of going through this nonsense over and over again. You'll get your way no matter what I say"

"I always knew you were a smart man, Captain" said Azula, smirking

"Just… stay safe. If anything happens to you, the Fire Lord will have my head…" said the Captain, distraught.

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Captain, as you might have noticed in the past" said Azula "There's nothing for me to fear in the streets of the Capital or anywhere else, for that matter"

"Still, you're taking a cripple with you" said the Captain, looking at Sokka "Can you protect him as well?"

"I'm not a cripple" growled Sokka, glaring at the man.

"Oh, no need to worry" said Azula "If the cripple falls back I'll just leave him behind"

"Hah?!" Sokka stared at Azula, aghast

"Well then, by all means…" replied the Captain, taking a few steps back, proof that he wasn't about to stand in Azula's way anymore

"HUH?!" squealed Sokka, looking at the guard now.

Azula smirked and walked away, feeling somehow pleased. It wasn't every day that she got around convincing that persistent guard to let her off the hook. Sokka chased after her, still troubled by the way they had spoken about him.

"Cripple, my ass…" he grunted, annoyed "And why are you so happy and cheerful, huh?!"

"No need to be so displeased" said Azula "I didn't quite expect him to give up that easily. He always was very persistent…"

"Maybe he thinks you'll be safe with me" said Sokka, smiling in a dumb fashion.

"No, he probably thinks that nobody would be cruel enough to attack a limping Water Tribe moron" said Azula, earning herself another glare.

"You're as sweet as ever" he grunted "Anyhow… what exactly are you going to do? Find an inn for me to stay in or something?"

"No purpose in getting an inn if you're going to stay around for a long time" said Azula "Besides, I already said earlier a box would suffice for the likes of you…"

"Yeah, well, no" said Sokka, annoyed "I'm not going to live in a box"

"Such refined tastes for a mere slave…" said Azula, smirking.

Sokka looked around the city, unable to ignore the way people stopped with their daily chores to stare at the Princess in awe. She strolled down the streets so carelessly… and Sokka was certain no other member of the Royal Family would pull off such a feat. Which prompted him to ask…

"Say, you always go about in a palanquin, don't you?"

"Yes. Why the obvious question?"

"Well… that thing has those dark drapes over it, doesn't it?" said Sokka "How do you know which way you're going?"

"I don't, actually. I give out the command, tell the bearers where I wish to go to, and they do the job" said Azula.

"So I take it you don't know the streets…" he asked, worried "… is there any chance we'll get lost if we go about like this, then?"

"Not at all" said Azula "This Capital is my hometown. I know it just as well as I know my firebending forms"

"Oh, really?" Sokka was still skeptical.

"Of course" said Azula, rolling her eyes "I have studied the layout of the Capital enough times to memorize every single…"

Azula stopped abruptly, her gaze upon a noodle restaurant up ahead. Sokka stared at her for a moment, and he was terrified to see the confused look on her face.

"Azula…? Is something wrong…?"

"When did that restaurant get set up there…?" she muttered loud enough for him to hear.

"WHAT?!" squealed Sokka, dropping his crutches as he gazed at Azula in shock.

Azula couldn't keep her charade for much longer, though. She looked at the expression on his face and she couldn't help but laugh at him as she resumed walking. Sokka's eyebrow twitched as he realized the Princess had merely been playing him.

"Very funny, very funny! Azula got twice the dose of royal sense of humor!" he yelled after her as he picked up his crutches again "Probably because you got your brother's share or something, and now I have to put up with your hilarious jokes! Oh, so amusing!"

Azula couldn't stop chuckling at him as she continued her way through the town, her mind set in heading towards the edge of the crater, where she expected to find newer and cheaper houses. With luck, one of the buildings would be for sale and she would be able to make the place Sokka's home…

They walked for what seemed like hours, circling the edge of the Capital. The city's finest locations were at the center of the crater. On the outer zone, the houses grew less refined and far more practical, which Sokka found to his liking… but all of them seemed occupied already. He feared Azula's cruel idea would come true and he would find himself forced to live in a box… still, he didn't bring up the subject again, hoping she'd forget about it.

By the eastern wing of the city, the houses grew more rugged and less fascinating. Sokka was lagging behind because his legs were paining him slightly, but even when Azula asked him if they should stop, he refused to do it. She didn't mind taking the lead, though. And at last, she stopped when she found quite an undignified wooden shack only a few ways ahead.

"Hah! This is it!" she called, making Sokka wince when he caught sight of the pathetic wooden structure from afar. It wasn't even large enough for one person to stand inside it, let alone him.

"That's what, now…?" asked Sokka, limping as he tried to come closer. The terrains were rougher now, the roads were no longer perfectly lined nor worked properly so that people could walk with ease. Azula had no problems with the difficult hike, though, seeing how she wasn't trying to balance her weight with crutches.

"I said you could live in a box, didn't I? Well, this is a little bigger than what I had in mind…" she muttered, eyeing it with interest "But it will do"

"No-it-won't!" yelled Sokka, as his left crutch got stuck amongst loose roots.

Suddenly, to Azula's surprise, an old man appeared from behind the wooden structure. He looked at her with a wide toothless smile, which made her wince in slight disgust. Since when did people with such deplorable aspects live in the Fire Nation Capital…?

"Ah, fine lady! Ya' come to take a look at my dandy establishment?" he asked, his hands pressed together as he tilted his head to one side, his wide eyes looking at her with such joy she could only stagger back and grimace.

"Y-your what, now…?"

"I see ya' have a nice looking four-legged husband with you!" said the man, catching sight of Sokka, who was still fighting against the roots "Wonderful, wonderful!"

"H-husband?!" squealed Azula, scandalized "He's not my husband! He's just…!"

"No need to excuse ya'!" said the man, beaming "No worries, no worries! In my mansion there's room for all!"

Azula took another look at the wooden shack. What was this man going about…? What mansion?

"So, what would ya' like to have in yar' meal?" asked the man

"I'm not… looking for a place to eat" said Azula, frowning "I'm looking for a house on sale, to be honest"

"Ah, then ya're on yar' lucky day!" he claimed, joyfully "Meh' fine establishment is for sale!"

"Weren't you just about to give us a meal…?" asked Azula, utterly confused and annoyed.

"The mansion's on the very cheap price of seventy thousand yuans!" squealed the man happily, ignoring Azula completely.

"Huh?! Seventy thousand for a pathetic hut like that?!" asked Azula "What the hell is the matter with you?!"

"Oh, you don't understand where you are, do you?" asked the man, shaking his head and dipping his hands into his ravaged pants pockets "This is the Fire Nation Capital, pretty foreigner! Ya'd do best to keep that in mind!"

"I'm perfectly well aware of where I am! I live here!" Azula shouted

"Oh, you don't yet!" said the man "But you will when you buy this wonderful house at this convenient bargain! Living in the Capital has a lot of perks! Word says ya' might even catch a glimpse of the Princess if ya're lucky!"

"Y-you little...!" Azula growled, her patience running out quickly. It wasn't bad enough that the man was an utter fool to think he could rip them off to buy a pathetic pile of garbage while making it look like the deal of the century… but he didn't even know who she was?

"Why, sweetheart! What is the matter with you?" asked Sokka from behind her, making her shiver and blush at the term of endearment

"What is the matter with me?! How about what's the matter with you?! Or HIM?!" yelled Azula, pointing at the man, who was currently busy sniffing his shoes.

"Ya've got a lovely wife there, Mister Four-legs!" said the man "But she's damn rude, ya' get my drift?"

"Oh, she is, always has been!" said Sokka, shaking a hand carelessly "You know what it's like, when they're from the colonies, you gotta roughen them up and see if they can handle the good life in the Fire Capital!"

"You said it, sailor!" replied the man proudly, sitting on the ground as he scratched his butt "Where did I leave my caterpillar…?"

"In any case" said Sokka "We'll be off now, fine sir! We don't really need a house, so you can keep your… establishment"

"Will you stay for lunch?" asked the man, beaming

"Oh, we've got plans to eat with the Fire Lord, sorry!"

"Sure, sure, I'm flexible! We can reschedule!" declared the man, waving as Sokka pushed Azula into moving "Have a nice boat ride to the Earth Kingdom!"

"You too!" said Sokka, as he got back on the road with the Princess.

Azula was astonished, disturbed and annoyed after that strange experience, and Sokka could tell right away. He smirked slightly, happy that her evil ploy to irritate him had gone so haywire.

"What the hell was that?" she asked, once they were out of the man's earshot.

"That, my dear Princess, is a homeless man. Welcome to reality" said Sokka, still smiling

"Quit calling me names like that" said Azula, glaring at him dangerously, although Sokka didn't miss the blush on her cheeks "It's sickening. What the hell is a homeless man doing in the Capital?"

"I wonder" said Sokka, shrugging "I guess your daddy didn't do his job right and people like him managed to sneak in here somehow"

"Still, how…?" asked Azula, clenching her teeth "There should be no people like him in the Capital… The Fire Nation is a prosperous place. I thought such lowly peasants only lived in colonies and in the wastelands of the former Earth Kingdom"

"Well, look again, Princess" said Sokka "There were a ton of those guys at Hui Yi. They're all a bit wacked up in the head, I'd say. But they're not really bad… they just have forgotten all common sense!"

"No wonder you seem to get along so well with them" Azula barked "I can't believe he didn't even know who I was…"

"That's the way they roll, they tend to say nonsense all the time" said Sokka, carelessly "Don't mind them"

"I can't make any sense out of it…" she insisted, making Sokka sigh. Clearly, she was very disturbed after that experience "Why are people like him in the Fire Nation anyway? Let alone in the Capital... It's ridiculous" grunted Azula

"Well, if you really want to know…" he said

"Oh, so you, of all people, know the answer to that question?" asked Azula, skeptical

"I know we've been through this before, Azula" said Sokka "But with this evidence in front of you, you can't keep thinking the Fire Nation is flawless. You high-class people tend to be oblivious to everything the lower class has to deal with, stuck in your happy bubble as you are..."

"Stuck in a happy bubble? I'm sorry, but the high class, as you called it, keeps order in this Nation. This nation is only as prosperous as it is because of us. You low-birth people are just unable to understand that"

"Sure" said Sokka, shrugging "There's no use denying you guys from the Fire Nation have some cool traits. I've seen firsthand some of the nicest stuff your nation has to offer. The food... is simply remarkable"

"As ever, thinking with your stomach" said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"But that doesn't mean everything's perfect" finished Sokka "You've seen Hui Yi. Now you even see a homeless man in the Capital. Regardless all the cool things you boast about, you can't deny things aren't half as great as they could be if people like you bothered doing something about it"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked the Princess with a frown

"You're the Princess, your daddy's pretty little girl" said Sokka "If anyone has a shot at telling the Fire Lord about the things that need to be improved, that would be you"

"And why should I bother doing anything about this? What exactly do I gain by fixing the sad lives of weird rambling men like that one?"

"I don't know how you Fire Nation people think, truly" said Sokka "But what makes a nation isn't the lands the lords own, or the riches, or their reputation and whatnot... It's the people. Why else would you be the Fire Nation if it weren't because you guys are firebenders, because you live by fire? The Water Tribes live by water, the Earth Kingdom used to live by earth, and the Air Nomads by air. The elements are what are what give the people their identity, and the people assemble and make nations. You see what I'm talking about?"

Azula frowned at his words. She truly hated discussing these matters with him. But this time it was worse than before... because he had all the evidence on his side. Indeed, the Fire Lord and those closest to him were supposed to look after the Fire Nation… they were superior to everyone else in many ways, she was still convinced of it… but the entire purpose of them being in charge was that they could help their people grow. Instead, people lived miserably, like they did in Hui Yi… after having witnessed that, after seeing this homeless man, could she still claim the Fire Nation's government was doing the best for its people? She sighed and shook her head, trying to prevent him from seeing that his words had gotten to her yet again.

"You don't get it?" asked Sokka, grimacing "And here I thought you were smarter than that…"

"Piandao definitely got to you" grunted Azula, still shaking her head "You even talk like him now"

Sokka could tell Azula wasn't happy about what she had just said… she clearly didn't want him to be like Piandao. But to him, it was the most amazing compliment he could have heard. He looked at Azula in awe, although she missed it, before smiling slightly and shrugging.

"If you say so…"

They continued walking by the edge of the city, passing by more and more houses that were already occupied. Azula's frown deepened as she walked, thinking this had been nothing but a waste of time. Her mood had dampened after running into the homeless man and even further after speaking with Sokka. What did he want from her? Did he think she could change the world at will just because she was trusted by her father? It didn't work as easily as he thought it did. Fire Lord Ozai had brought her up and taught her to be strong, told her that the weak deserved their fate… and she wanted to cling onto that principle, just as she wanted to cling onto everything her father had taught her. But Sokka kept making it difficult… he kept getting all these ideas into her mind, confusing her and driving her to question what her role as her father's heir was.

"Hey…" Sokka brought her out of her thoughts when he pointed at a house with one of his crutches "What about that one?"

Azula blinked before raising her eyes, looking at the place that had caught his attention. It was comprised of a single two-stories building with quite a large backyard. It seemed a very modern house, and the best part of it… was the green scroll pinned to the door, the signal Azula had been waiting for: it gave away that the place was for sale.

"Perfect" said Azula, sighing in relief "It was about time too…"

"I like it! Very much!" declared Sokka, eyeing it with interest "Look at those terrains! Do you think those would all be mine if I get the house?"

"If YOU get the house, you asked?" Azula raised an eyebrow, skeptical "May I remind you I'm the one who has to waste her money on this?"

"Oh, so that's the real reason why you wanted me to get a box…" said Sokka, smirking "I can't believe the Princess is being a cheapskate. You said that anything I needed, you could buy… what's the problem now, Azula? I thought you were a woman of her word…"

"Stop playing me like that" grunted Azula, glaring at him, as they both approached the house. She finished reading the scroll on the door quicker than he did.

"So this thing costs 210,000 yuans?" asked Sokka, gulping

"So it seems" said Azula, frowning "It's quite a steep price, I'd say…"

"Excuse me, what are you…?" asked an unknown voice from behind them.

Azula and Sokka turned around swiftly. The salesman stared at them, confused at first, but when he caught sight of the golden piece decorating Azula's raven hair he jumped and bowed down immediately.

"Princess Azula! T-to what could I owe this pleasure…?!"

"Huh, at least this one knows who you are" said Sokka, smirking. Azula gave him a glare and he chuckled lightly.

"I wish to buy this house" she replied, looking down on the man before her "Do I have to sign any paperwork of some sort to do this?"

"O-of course, yes!" said the man, nodding promptly "But… is this really the house you want, Princess? You surely could afford houses in better locations in the Capital…"

"I'm not buying this for myself" Azula said, rolling her eyes "Why would I need to buy a house if I live in the Royal Palace?"

"Oh, well, I… I'm sorry, Princess…" said the man, blushing and feeling quite stupid. Sokka couldn't help but smirk slightly at the situation. It seemed Azula was used to dealing with people as dumb as this man… no wonder she seemed to enjoy herself so much more when she exchanged jabs with him. He had an intellect that, at the very least, was able to stand its ground against Azula's mind.

"You're the one in charge of selling this house, then?" asked Azula, frowning

"Yes, I am" he said, smiling nervously

"Then get on with it. I want this transaction finished as fast as possible" stated Azula, her eyes gleaming coldly.

The salesman nodded, sweat running down his brow as he sprinted into the house, looking for the paperwork.

"Y-you're most welcome to take a look at the house, if you wish!" said the man, from the upper floor.

Azula and Sokka looked inside before entering. It was structured in wood mostly, something that Azula couldn't quite understand. If a firebender went on a rampage in here, there wouldn't be a house left after he was done… but Sokka seemed to like it.

"It's cozy!" he said, smiling "I approve!"

"Huh" said Azula, shrugging as they both stepped into the living room, waiting for the man to return with his official forms "Well, it looks pathetic enough for a man of your standing. I'd say you can keep this"

"It's wooden too" he said, smirking "You wanted me to have a box, didn't you? Well, here you have it, as you wanted it. A huge box, just for me"

Azula rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help herself but smile. Sokka didn't miss the gesture. She would always bicker with him, they would compete against the other, trying to find who was smarter, who had the most willpower, who would give up first…

It was as if they were fighting a war, the princess and the savage… always in a battlefield, trying to defeat the other. But strangely, it wasn't like the other fights Sokka had been involved in. Usually, whenever he was in a combat he couldn't wait for the moment it would end. Here, though… he was enjoying himself thoroughly. It was the most fun he had ever had, even if he'd never say it out loud.

She would win at times, but he didn't mind. Wars were comprised of many battles, so he would just come up to fight once again when he was ready. And despite she didn't like to see him win, she was able to accept it whenever she lost. As a reward for his triumph, he'd get to see her blush… or she would show him a small smile, just like this one. It was a side of herself she didn't let anyone else see… a side of the Princess that only belonged to him.

The thought sent an unknown thrill down his spine. He found himself smiling, despite himself. He had wanted to bring himself to hate her, and he had, for a very long time… but everything was different now. She wasn't just his sponsor… he wasn't just her gladiator. There was something more, something he couldn't explain with words. How to explain it, then…?

He hoped he would find a way to do it soon enough.


	22. Chapter 22

The Palace workers were taken by surprise by Ty Lee's presence. She only used to appear in the premises of the Royal Family's home when Azula requested her and Mai to drop by, and today wasn't one the appointed visit days. The truth behind her sudden apparition in the Palace was that, after all this time, she still hadn't found the proper moment to have a good conversation with Zuko. The Prince eyed her with slight discomfort, seeing how he was the least compatible person with Ty Lee's upbeat nature. He couldn't understand why the girl was friends with his sister, of all people…

"So, what do you want to know?" asked Ty Lee, smiling after their meal was placed before them.

"What do you mean, what?" replied Zuko, frowning "What? Well, everything!"

Ty Lee was taking a gulp of juice as he gave out his reply. She coughed on the liquid slightly and she raised an eyebrow in his direction, smirking at him.

"Everything? So you do want the gossip!"

Zuko found himself sighing in despair. She was the last person he should have asked this from, wasn't she?

"Just get this over with, will you…?" he asked, as he got started on his rice bowl.

"Well, then… I guess I can get this going by talking about me!" said Ty Lee, disregarding that she was close to last in Zuko's priorities "I had nothing to do for a while after I was done with school, so I just lazed about for a few weeks. And well, my family is quite… annoying, most the time. I couldn't stand it and I wanted out, so I joined the circus!"

"The… circus?" asked Zuko, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Yeah, they trained me to perform lots of fun tricks" she said, smiling "But after two years of that routine I decided I'd had enough! And so I returned home. Some of my sisters had gotten married by then, so the house wasn't as crowded, and it wasn't as annoying anymore. Mai had been at Omashu back then, because her father was appointed the city's governor, but she hated living there, so she didn't even bother unpacking. She returned to the Capital about at the same time as I did"

"Right…" muttered Zuko. Just thinking about Mai sent him on a trip of agony. Hearing her name brought forth pain to his chest, as if someone was stabbing his heart repeatedly with a very sharp knife.

"We hung with Azula whenever she had spare time…" said Ty Lee, looking up at the ceiling as if she were struggling to make sure she wasn't leaving anything important out "… And I can't remember if I'm leaving out anything important, but whatever. One day, Fire Lord Ozai asked Azula to take vacations and spend some time on Ember Island. I have no idea why he ordered her to do that, so don't ask me…"

"Why…?"

"Didn't I just say don't ask?" pouted Ty Lee, annoyed

"But… it's weird" said Zuko, before finishing his rice "I thought he trusted Azula with his life"

"Do you really want me to answer for Fire Lord Ozai?" asked Ty Lee, skeptical.

"Uh… right. I wasn't thinking straight. Move on" said Zuko, trying to shrug off the matter.

"Well, we went to Ember Island and we had some fun in the beach. I met some really nice guys there!" said Ty Lee, beaming as memories came back to her "Then Azula told us to join her for a Kuai Ball game. You know how she is, crazy competitive…"

"No kidding…" muttered Zuko, agreeing with Ty Lee for once. His childhood had been comprised mostly of competing with Azula to earn their parents' attention.

"So she wanted us to play with her, and well, how to refuse her, really?" asked Ty Lee, smiling uncomfortably "We played and we won… and we caught the eye of a pair of handsome boys who had been on the beach at the moment"

"Huh?" said Zuko, displeased

"One of them was Admiral Chan's son" said Ty Lee "And the other was Ruon Jian"

The second name made Zuko wince. He hadn't quite memorized it after his conversation with Mai, but hearing it rang a bell… and he had no trouble figuring why it seemed familiar. Ty Lee gave him a sympathetic smile before continuing with her tale.

"They invited us to a party, although they had no idea who Azula was" said Ty Lee "She took that to her advantage, since she wanted to see how people would treat her when they didn't know who she was. She tried her luck with Admiral Chan's son, but…"

"Spare me the details" grunted Zuko, grimacing "My sister's… l-love life is not something I care about"

"That's mean!" said Ty Lee, pouting again "She was always supportive of you and Mai!"

"You think knocking us into a fountain was support? Oh… right, you were on her side there, I forgot about that" said Zuko, still grimacing.

"She did a lot more than that!" said Ty Lee, frowning "She always told Mai to go forth with you! Not to give up! So you shouldn't be so mean to her!"

"She's always mean to me! I'm merely returning the favor" said Zuko stubbornly, folding his arms over his chest.

"Men are so thick-headed…" said Ty Lee, rolling her eyes "Whatever. Let's just focus on the important stuff"

"Good idea" said Zuko, gloomily. He didn't really want to hear about Mai's romance with another man… but he wanted to know, at the very least, if they had actually fallen in love. It still seemed unbelievable to him that Mai could have forgotten about him so easily.

"Azula did her best with Chan, but he chickened out on her because he didn't have the guts to deal with her…"

"Who does?" asked Zuko, grimacing.

"… And, well… Ruon Jian approached Mai" said Ty Lee, unable to meet Zuko's eyes now. Telling him this story filled her with an amount of guilt that she didn't know how to control "He was a bit of a jerk back then, but, let's face it, jerks can be so appealing at times…"

"Huh?"

"N-never mind!" said Ty Lee, shaking her head "Anyways, Mai kept playing hard to get, but Ruon didn't stop insisting. He actually spent most the evening with her… well, that is, until I realized Azula was gone. I told Mai we should go look for her, and she used that as her scapegoat. She pretty much told Ruon Jian that, if he really wanted her, he'd better prove it. We went down to the beach with Azula, and she seemed pretty upset over her failure with Chan…"

"Well, it was about time she failed at something" said Zuko, smirking slightly. Focusing on his sister's social awkwardness wouldn't be enough to diminish his pain, but at the very least it helped him forget about it momentarily.

"You're too unfair" said Ty Lee, shaking her head "You… you just don't get her. And to be honest, until that day, neither did I. Mai and me only stuck by her because it was easier to be on her side than against her… until that night. We found her at the beach, watching the ocean. She didn't want to talk much at first, but we pushed her to it and she suddenly showed us that there was so much more to her than she wanted to let anyone see"

Zuko frowned deeply.

"Is that so? Then Azula showed you girls her 'weaknesses'? Why is that so hard to believe…?"

"Maybe because you're too bitter at her to accept she's just human" said Ty Lee, glaring at him.

Zuko didn't like the way this conversation was headed. Truth to be told, he didn't care much for his sister's displays of emotion. He didn't buy them as something real. Azula had a way to fake feelings and feign shortcomings simply to get her way. He didn't care if other people fell for her ploys: he had decided he never would.

"Right. So she opened up to you both" he said, still skeptical. Ty Lee didn't miss the tone of his voice, but she opted to ignore it.

"I think that was the day when we actually became friends. We weren't really honest with each other before… but that night, things changed. I loved it, to be honest" she said, smiling "But I guess what you want to know is what happened with Mai and Ruon Jian"

Zuko winced but nodded slightly.

"Ruon didn't stop pursuing her" said Ty Lee "He sent her letters often, and they communicated like that for quite a while. She didn't give in easily, though. She didn't seem comfortable with the idea of getting involved with him. I think it was because she was still in love with you…"

Zuko lowered his gaze towards his empty plate, feeling miserable.

"But I didn't come back" he muttered "And she moved on…"

"Yeah, I guess" said Ty Lee, sighing "It took him about four years to get her to get over you. It had to be the hardest decision she ever made…"

"But it was for the better, I bet" said Zuko, shrugging "I shouldn't even be back right now. She had every right to go with someone else"

Ty Lee blinked in surprise, staring at him with slight confusion.

"Well, that's unusual… are you just saying that, or do you really think so?"

"At this point, I have no idea" said Zuko, shrugging.

"Right…" said Ty Lee, gulping as she eyed him warily "Alright, then, where was I? Oh, yes! Well, Ruon Jian found himself in a pickle because he realized he needed to become a better man for Mai's sake… and well, he did his best. He stopped being such a jerk, he found himself a job in the Capital… and Mai became way more interested in him, I think. He offered her everything he was, and she decided to accept him. They got married about a year ago, and, as you already know, they await their first child"

Zuko sighed, but nodded. It didn't help him much to know the entire story… but knowing that the man had been willing to change just for Mai's sake made him think he was probably good enough for her. Regardless… he couldn't stop feeling remorse. If only he had returned sooner, he wouldn't need to hear this story…

"Well, that's that" said Ty Lee, after downing most her food while Zuko sat quietly across her "Anything else you want to know?"

Zuko shook his head slowly for a moment, forgetting what had been bothering him before… but he nodded promptly once he did, bringing himself to focus on one of the matters that baffled him the most.

"Yeah, there's something else. That weird guy hanging with Azula…"

"Oh! Sokka!" squealed Ty Lee, looking dreamily at the ceiling "That's the yummiest cookie I've seen in years…"

"What the hell?" said Zuko, the veins on his temple twitching as he glared at Ty Lee

"Oh, no need to be so jealous" said Ty Lee, smiling "You're on the top ten on my hot guys list!"

"What an honor…" said Zuko, exasperated.

"It is, really!" she replied, beaming happily at him. Zuko huffed in annoyance "Anyhow… you want to know how she wound up with him?"

"I just can't make any sense out of it" said Zuko, staring at the table "Why is she with guy like that one? Why is he her gladiator?"

"It's a long story" said Ty Lee, smiling slightly "About three years ago, Fire Lord Ozai sent Azula to the South Pole to attend some boring war meeting in a settlement the Fire Nation had established down there. Now… I don't know all the details, but I think a group of Water Tribe warriors came to attack them. Azula was the one to handle them all, and she ended up fighting against their leader… who was none other than Sokka!"

"He fought against Azula and survived…?" asked Zuko, surprised. Maybe the man was made of something stronger than he had originally thought…

"Well, apparently it wasn't that much of a fight" said Ty Lee, shrugging and smiling awkwardly "She overpowered him quickly. But she didn't kill him, she said he should be taken to the mainland as a slave…"

"Why didn't she kill him?" asked Zuko

"How about you ask her instead?" muttered Ty Lee, pouting "I have no idea. I'm not Azula"

"You don't need to say that twice" added Zuko. Ty Lee frowned.

"In any case, she dropped him off at this lousy town, Hui Yi, and then she returned to the Capital. Then, some months ago, Fire Lord Ozai set her to marry Admiral Chan's son and she didn't have a say about it at first…"

"Marriage?" asked Zuko, impressed "He was going to set her up? Really?"

"That's what surprises you?" asked Ty Lee "Rather than the guy being Admiral Chan's son…"

"Oh, the one she wanted to get involved with back in Ember Island?"

"Yeah. Things went awry between them and she didn't want anything else to do with him" said Ty Lee "So when she heard about this, she devised a plan to get rid of the engagement by proving Chan was useless! But Chan was a lazy useless guy with no skills and no hobbies but Gladiator fighting. So she decided to humiliate him through gladiators, but to accomplish that, she needed a gladiator!"

"Who would have known…?"

"So she dragged both me and Mai all the way to Hui Yi's Amateur Arena and we watched a combat there… and so it happens that the one who won the fight we saw was none other than Sokka! Of course, Mai and I didn't know who he was, so at first I just figured she liked him because he was really good looking…"

"Does Azula give a damn about a man's looks?" asked Zuko, skeptical.

"Oh, she pretends she doesn't, but it's just that, pretense!" said Ty Lee, chuckling "I can tell she likes him, really"

"I rather doubt it" said Zuko, grimacing

"In any case, she struck a deal with him… I have no idea what exactly did she do to convince him, but she swayed him anyway. A month after they started working together, they faced off against Chan and his gladiator and they won! And now, I think they're aiming at becoming the best combination of gladiator and sponsor… because they want the #1 spot in the ranking!"

"What for?" asked Zuko "What use would that be?"

"How should I know?" said Ty Lee, carelessly "I'm just enjoying the ride! I go bet at the Grand Royal Dome once in a while… maybe you should come with me one day!"

"I don't think I want to watch something as pointless as a gladiator fight" said Zuko, sighing "So don't count me in on that one"

"Oh, really?" said Ty Lee, pouting again "You're no fun!"

"Nobody ever said I was" replied Zuko "Still… she seems to get along really well with that guy. It doesn't make much sense, if you ask me… she dragged him from his hometown, turned him into a slave and now she's using him for hell knows what ends. Why is he enduring it? Is he that stupid… or is he the one who is playing her?"

"I don't… I never really saw it like that" muttered Ty Lee, looking aghast.

"I don't know how else to see it" insisted Zuko, scowling "You can try and delude yourself all you want… Azula isn't doing this out of the kindness of her heart or out of a ridiculous crush on a Water Tribe guy. There's something else to this…"

"You're just too gloomy" said Ty Lee, sighing "I already told you, you're too hard on her. She's a girl! She has every right to feel attracted to a guy like him!"

"Even if she liked him, Azula isn't the type to act according to feelings" said Zuko "Our father made sure she wouldn't do that"

"That's what you think…" muttered Ty Lee, folding her arms over her chest.

She hadn't given the relationship between Sokka and Azula much thought, but she was certain Zuko was wrong. What little she had seen had been enough to convince her that the bond between them went much deeper than Zuko thought… because, after all, Azula never did anyone favors, yet she had even been willing to go back to the Arena to fetch his boomerang. And as for Sokka, he had never even bothered checking Ty Lee out: he only ever focused on Azula. She didn't care if Zuko refused to accept it. There was something else in that relationship, something that went far beyond using the other for their own ends.

She wasn't too smart in many regards, but she took pride in her skill to identify love when she saw it.

Azula struck the bargains with the salesman while Sokka wandered about the house, looking around and getting himself more comfortable in the place that was to become his new home. He rejoiced when he found out the main bedroom was larger than the room he had slept in at Piandao's mansion. He had shared an igloo with his family back home, everyone huddled together uncomfortably… and even though he missed the closeness, he couldn't deny having so much space for himself was an enormous relief.

The terrains behind the house were perfect for him to train just as Piandao had taught him to. The grass was slightly uneven and disorderly, but he would take care of that soon enough.

He was horrified, though, to find the kitchen was empty… and something else came to his mind as he took in this particular detail.

"You guys done with the paperwork?" he asked as he heard Azula's distinct footsteps as she walked down the stairs.

"Yes, everything has been settled" she declared "I'll be paying him tomorrow, but you can start staying over from today anyway"

"You couldn't pay him yet?" asked Sokka

"No, I didn't have enough money on me even though he gave me a discount" admitted Azula "Knocked off half the price for me"

"Woah… benefits of being a royal, huh?" said Sokka, wide-eyed

"Still, I didn't bring that much cash along with me" said Azula "I only had about half of what he was requesting. Naturally, he said he didn't mind if I paid later. He would have been asking for a world of pain if he had become that unreasonable on this matter"

"Though that makes you look like the unreasonable one" said Sokka, smirking "Seeing how you're getting out of your predicaments by using your status as a Princess…"

"As if you wouldn't do the same if you had the chance to do it" said Azula, smirking back at him.

"True" admitted Sokka, recalling a few times he had gotten out of his problems merely because he was the son of the Tribe Chief "Anyways… I was just thinking…"

"You, thinking?" Azula interrupted him, surprised "That's a new one"

"Ha ha, very funny" said Sokka, as she smiled again "Thing is… I can't cook to save my life, and I'm no use at cleaning and whatnot…"

"Me neither. Seems like we share a few traits despite being a Princess and a savage" she said, seemingly amused.

"I hadn't thought of it like that" said Sokka, rubbing his chin as he realized she had been right to point that detail out "W-well, anyhow, that's not my point. Thing is, how am I supposed to survive on my own if I can't look after myself?"

"Then… I suggest you learn how to look after yourself" said Azula, shrugging.

"You can't be serious" said Sokka, horror-struck "Azula, you need a strong, sturdy gladiator! You want me to be well-fed so that I can fight to my best, don't you?"

"I suppose…" said Azula, sighing

"Well, then, I need someone to cook for me!" said Sokka, stubbornly "And someone who can cook properly too!"

Azula huffed in irritation at his request. If someone had warned her about what a handful this man would prove to be, she wouldn't have hired him on the long run. It wasn't as if she couldn't deal with him… but despite how wealthy she was due to her status as the Fire Lord's daughter, she had never been a big spender. Wasting such fortunes on him seemed like something her father would never approve of, and neither should she…

"So you're saying you want… cooking lessons?" she asked, merely to rouse his annoyance

"What the…? No! Hire someone to cook for me, that's what I'm saying!" Sokka squealed, and Azula sighed.

"I get it, I get it…" she replied, thoughtful.

"You can send over one of your Palace's servants or something" Sokka suggested "He could come cook a few meals for me and then go back to his business at the Palace"

"That's counterproductive" Azula stated "The servant would be worn out by the time he makes it all the way here, and he would be even more exhausted while going back to the Palace. And extenuated servant would be as good as not having a servant at all"

"Then…? Should I go find my own servant?" asked Sokka.

Azula raised an eyebrow at his idea before shrugging carelessly.

"It seems the most practical solution" she admitted "I suppose we should drop by at the slave market, then…"

"W-wait, WHAT?!" Sokka said, aghast "No! Slave market, my ass!"

Azula rolled her eyes and glared at him.

"Of course. Make me a favor, genius, and explain this to me: how exactly do you plan on getting yourself a servant anywhere but at the slave market?"

"W-well, I don't know! But that's the last thing I'm going to do! I'm not about to go shopping for humans" said Sokka, sternly.

Azula sighed in irritation. Why did he have be so unreasonable all the time?

"I know of your aversion towards slavery" she muttered "I'm perfectly aware of your resentment, I know you'd rather jump into the Boiling Rock's lake than take a slave because you think it's as if you were supporting the Fire Nation's system, which you despise…"

Sokka frowned and glared at her, knowing she was about to throw one of her typical arguments at him…

"… and I'm fine with that" Azula continued "But I'll have you know, there's nothing you can do right now, as you are, to change the circumstances in which slaves such as yourself live in. You can't save them all through some tragic and heroic ordeal, which I bet you dream about all the time… but you can get around saving one of them, at the very least"

"Huh…?" said Sokka, surprised

"If you buy a slave, you'll get around treating him in whichever way you want" said Azula "You can disdain him, you can praise him, you can treat him as if he were your brother if you want. You can save the life of one slave if you get one today. Now, indeed, I know you don't want to buy people as if they were groceries…"

"I need groceries too…" Sokka mumbled, but Azula was too busy with her monologue to notice he had spoken.

"And you think this system is utterly unfair, but, as I said, there's nothing you can do about it right now" said Azula, shrugging "The best thing you can do for now is change the life of a single slave. And maybe other people will follow your lead one day, if you manage to convince them that your way of thinking makes any sense"

Sokka frowned as he considered her proposal. It didn't seem such a bad idea if she worded it like that…

"Hopefully you'll be the first one whom I'll manage to turn around, then" he said, smirking slightly.

"Tough luck with that, Sokka" she said, proudly "I'd never give up on having slaves. They make my life way too comfortable for me to change my mind about them"

"Oh, so I make your life comfortable? Wasn't it that you wanted to get rid of me because you couldn't handle me anymore…?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Azula smiled slightly. She couldn't help but feel proud of him whenever he showed her his wits like he just had. Not many people were able to spot the holes within her arguments and point them out to her… and since she did it to him often, Sokka seemed determined to give her the same treatment.

"But you're not just any slave, are you?" she asked him. Sokka couldn't help but blush slightly at that.

"N-no… I'm…"

"My stupid and annoying gladiator" finished Azula, smirking. He grimaced and glared at her, unsure of what to make of the last stretch of their conversation "Now, are you going to be reasonable and accept getting your own slave, or will you keep being stubborn and stupid?"

"Stupid?" grunted Sokka, irritated "Say what you will, woman, but don't call me stupid. Our intellects are, likely, around the same level! So insulting me reflects directly on you!"

"You jest" said Azula, chuckling "You think your intelligence is on par with mine? Seriously?"

"Well, if you want me to prove it, how about we play some strategy games or something?" suggested Sokka, shrugging "I'm pretty good at Pai Sho myself…"

The mention of Pai Sho made Azula think about her uncle immediately. Pai Sho and Iroh always came to her mind in a set. The White Lotus tile Piandao had left for Sokka remained a mystery to this day… mostly because she didn't want to waste her time asking her uncle what it meant. It wasn't as if she thought he wouldn't know… it was that she didn't trust him or anything about him. Therefore she wanted to be nowhere near Pai Sho for the time being.

"No need to prove anything, your mental skills are of meaningless importance at the moment" she said, sighing "Shall we, then?"

Sokka was slightly surprised to see she had relinquished an argument so easily… but he figured she was merely postponing it. He smirked proudly, knowing her retreat meant he had earned himself a momentary victory.

"Sure thing, Princess" he said, gifting her with an arrogant smile. Azula didn't have to analyze his attitude much to realize what was going through his mind. She huffed in annoyance, knowing she'd have to put him in his rightful place later… but she needed to get him on the move so that he would forget about Pai Sho for the time being.

The Slave Market was down by the busy commercial district of the Capital. The streets were roamed by loud salesmen and shopping families trying to make it past the crowds without losing each other on the way. Azula glowered at the sight of the masses of people and decided to drag Sokka through the emptier streets, not minding the many detours she'd have to take. She had never been one to blend in a multitude… she always liked being above people, never among them.

"So… this is it?" asked Sokka, once they were about to enter what seemed to be the filthiest section of the marketplace. Azula grimaced at the smells and sounds, utterly displeased. She definitely wasn't one for environments like this one.

"This place is extremely disorderly and annoying" she muttered. Sokka could have sensed her irritation from miles away "The salesmen tend to pester anyone who approaches and they try to get them to buy even more slaves than they can take with them. Be quick to find the slave you want and be quick to get out too, understood?"

"Uh… Okay" said Sokka, gulping nervously.

The stands on this side of the market were full of slaves chained together, looking filthy, terrified and helpless. If Sokka could get away with it, he'd free them all… but Azula was right. He couldn't do much for them just yet… and she had actually left an open window, saying he might get around to spreading his beliefs and changing the world to his liking someday. Therefore, as Piandao had taught him… he just would have to be patient. His time would come eventually.

Azula scowled at everything that caught her sight as she walked amongst the stores, certain the foul stench she disliked came from the slaves. Couldn't those idiotic salesmen bathe them before putting them for sale? They might get more people to buy them if they did…

"So… I need someone who can cook" said Sokka, frowning as he looked around carelessly "How about that old woman over there?"

"How do you know if an old woman can cook or not?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"My grandmother could cook" said Sokka, shrugging.

"Are all old women your grandmother?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes "It's a ridiculous logic. Besides, if you take an old slave you'll end up taking care of her instead"

"What's so wrong with that?" asked Sokka, pouting

"She might get sick on you and you'll have to cook anyways. And you'll end up killing her that way… actually, you'll end up killing both of you" said Azula, matter-of-factly. Sokka winced at the thought.

"Fine… Well, then, how about that guy?" he asked, pointing at a frail looking man with a face covered in pimples.

"Fool! Don't point like that or they'll notice you're…!" Azula tried to tell him off, but it was too late. The damage was done.

"Oh, young master!" said the salesman in charge of the man with pimples over his face "You're worth much more than this useless dog! I have a very nice offer, three slaves for the price of two!"

"That's bullshit!" yelled the man from the stand across his "Don't listen to that idiot! His slaves are no use! They can't even scrub the dirt from their own feet! It's why he makes such bargains, to get rid of those pests!"

"Not true!" replied the first one "Quit sticking your nose in my business, Kao!"

"No, no, come over here, my lord!" called out a third salesman "I have the finest slaves in the entire market! They're well trained to follow every command! And they do their own laundry as well!"

"My girls know how to entertain a fine gentleman like yourself!" said another man, smirking.

More salesmen joined the fray, but their shouts were becoming impossible to discern: all their voices were overlapping. Azula cringed, irritated, and her displeasure increased even further when the salesmen began leaving their booths to approach Sokka, smiling at him and beckoning him to buy one of their slaves. Azula could tell there was little to nothing she could do under these circumstances other than fleeing. She grabbed one of Sokka's crutches and she pulled him through the crowd as quickly as she could to shake all those men off them. The salesmen kept yelling despite their flight, since they were clearly desperate to get more customers, but Azula ignored them, leaving them behind with ease.

"Didn't I warn you this would happen? You drew too much attention to yourself!" she growled angrily.

"What did you expect me to do, really?" said Sokka, gulping "I've never been shopping in the Fire Nation before… I thought you guys were dignified and noble! I never figured they'd jump on us like a hunter after his prey…"

"Clearly, you underestimated their intent to make a sale" said Azula, only letting go of Sokka's crutch once they reached a relatively empty spot within the packed market.

"Well… what should I do, then?" said Sokka, grimacing "If I just buy the first one that comes along… how will I know he can cook?"

Azula sighed and rolled her eyes. Sokka looked at her, apparently desperate to find a solution to his predicament.

"Asking these men about their slaves' traits won't get you anywhere, in case you haven't realized that already" she grunted "They'll cheat off you and you won't even know they did until you discover your servant can't even wipe his own butt after going to the bathroom"

"Well… I can't deny it could happen" muttered Sokka "But hey, slaves are humans too. They have their own voice! If I talk to them directly, they might tell me what their true talents are. I doubt they'd lie about it"

"Can you tell when people are being dishonest, though?" asked Azula, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Uh… I think I might" said Sokka, shrugging "Can't be so hard, can it?"

Azula sighed and glared at him. Clearly, he had no clue how to tell apart a liar from a goody two-shoes. But she couldn't deny his idea made sense. She doubted the slaves would be as witty and crazy as he was, but they'd likely talk to Sokka if he addressed them directly… as long as she provided a distraction, of course.

"Fine" said Azula, frowning. Sokka was taken by surprise by her quick agreement, yet he could see in the glint on her eyes that she was concocting a plan of some sort "It can't be done so easily, though. I'll have to divert the salesmen's attention for as long as I can manage. In the meantime, you can sneak into a booth when nobody's paying attention and get yourself a slave. Make a gesture of some sort once you find the right one and I'll buy him"

"Huh… that should work" said Sokka, nodding "But now I think about it… it's weird. How come didn't they notice you were the Princess when they saw you…?"

"They're like leeches, Sokka" said Azula, sighing "The one pointing at slaves was you, and they took your gesture as the sign they needed to identify a possible buyer. On the other hand, they might have missed my identity because the Princess doesn't stroll around the marketplace without her palanquin or an assortment of guards. Fact is, the Princess hardly ever comes to the marketplace at all. They didn't realize who I was both because they were too busy pestering you and because of how unbelievable my current circumstances are"

"Huh… so, if you go out there now, they still won't believe you're the Fire Lord's daughter?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"They might. Who cares, really? It'll only help me distract them further. Just make sure to be quick to get the best slave you can find, got it?"

"R-right!" said Sokka, nodding energetically. He let go of his crutch for a moment and extended his hand in front of him, towards Azula "Good luck"

The Princess frowned at the sight. This had happened once before, hadn't it? Him, giving her his hand like this… She didn't know why he kept insisting on performing this pointless gesture. Regardless her discomfort, though, she shook his hand with her own promptly.

"Remember, be fast and stealthy" she said, and Sokka nodded promptly as she returned to the slave section of the marketplace.

The salesmen, disappointed when their prey disappeared, had returned to their business… that is, until one of them spotted a raven haired lady eyeing a slouchy slave on one of the stalls.

"How much for this one?" she asked, to no one in particular…

And naturally, all the salesmen jumped at her offering her all sorts of different slaves, far more suitable for her standing and needs. But while they all talked at once, one of them frowned and looked at the woman with curiosity and confusion. That hair… those eyes… that hairpiece…

"Wait!" he yelled, and everyone else quieted down for a moment, looking at him in surprise.

Azula raised an eyebrow as she looked back at the man who was so intent on staring at her. Logic kicked in, though, and the man shook his head in disappointment with himself. No matter how fancy this girl looked, or how authentic the hairpiece seemed to be… there was no way the Princess of the Fire Nation would come by to a slave market.

"Nevermind…" he stated, shaking his head, disappointed with himself, and the fight to earn Azula's attention began anew.

Azula didn't even resist them; she allowed them to take her from stall to stall, showing her their best looking slaves. Sokka watched from afar at first, and, once the crowd of salesmen was a little further away, he slid in as silently as he could between two booths after making sure their owners were gone. Once he felt safe enough, he dared to sneak a peek towards the street… and he discovered Azula wasn't anywhere in sight within the crowd that surrounded her. He grimaced, thinking he wouldn't hear the end of this one… she was really putting up with enough as it was…

"Are you okay?" asked a female voice next to him, making him jump in surprise. He had been certain he was alone… a stupid thought, truly, seeing how the booths were supposed to be occupied by slaves.

"Oh, no worries, I'm just hiding from those crazy men…" said Sokka, smiling casually as he turned to face the girl.

She was brown haired and fair-skinned, although her body was visibly bruised, especially under the chains that held her in place. Her eyes were also russet and they were very kind, despite the evident sadness that clouded them.

"N-no, I mean…" she muttered, looking down at his legs "You seem like you've been badly wounded"

"Ah, well…" said Sokka, shrugging "It's a long story, but, believe it or not, I'm way better now. Just a few more weeks on these crappy crutches and I'll be in shape, or so I was told"

The girl kept looking at him, seemingly worried. Sokka raised an eyebrow. Why was she so concerned about his status? Who was she, anyway?

"It looks painful anyway" she said "Both your legs have been injured, from what I can see… I know a few techniques that might help. There are some massages that help your chi flow and soothe your pain…"

"Huh?" said Sokka, blinking in surprise "Wait… how do you know that sort of stuff?"

"Well, I… I used to be a healer" said the girl, sadness clouding her eyes "Back in the Earth Kingdom… before I was dragged to the Fire Nation and forced to become a slave…"

Sokka saw the helplessness on the girl's eyes and felt inexplicably responsible of her right away. There was something about her that reminded him of the way his sister would behave whenever she was feeling down…

"Uh… can you cook?" he asked, randomly. The girl blinked repeatedly, surprised by his sudden question.

"Why… yes, I can" she replied "I'm not the best cook in the world, but I can handle making a few dishes…"

Sokka smiled brightly at her then, puzzling the girl further. He left the safety of the booths and let himself out in the open before taking one of his crutches and shaking it above his head, hoping Azula would see it.

"Hey! I'm done! Found a good one!" he yelled.

The Princess had difficulty understanding Sokka's words, but the sound of his voice, somehow, managed to make it through all the chattering salesmen. Azula walked through, pushing them away as she looked for her gladiator. Sokka was smiling cheerfully as he waved his crutch several booths away from where she was, and there was an innocent-looking chained girl standing close to him, staring at him as if he were a loon.

"Oh, but lady…" said one of the salesmen, trying to stop Azula before she headed to where Sokka stood with the slave. The Princess ignored him completely as she eyed the girl inquisitively.

"So… you think she'll do?" she asked Sokka, and he nodded promptly.

"Yeah. And you know, what you said about me helping out one person… I think I won't find anyone I want to help more than her" he said, smiling.

Azula raised an eyebrow towards him, not quite pleased. The slave girl looked from one to the other, completely confused… and the man in charge of Song approached them, his bald head gleaming under the sun.

"Oh, I know she's promising, my lady, my lord…" he said, looking at Azula and Sokka "But even though she's still untainted and whatnot, this girl definitely isn't the best I have to offer!"

Song grimaced at the sight of the man, and she blushed slightly when he said she was 'untainted'. Sokka's eyes widened and Azula scowled at the salesman, clearly displeased by the uncalled for comment.

"I don't care about anything else you have to offer" grunted Azula "Name your price. Or is it you'd like to hand her over for free?"

The man was taken by surprise by Azula's authority. Her glare was threatening enough for him to swallow his intent to make a better sale.

"Uh… fine" he said, rubbing his chest as he frowned, thoughtful "Ten thousand, I guess"

Azula didn't stop glaring as she counted the money and entrusted the exact quantity to the man. Sokka merely tried to smile enthusiastically at the slave girl, who seemed to be having a hard time to keep up with the happenings. The salesman freed the girl from the chains once Azula was done with the payment. The Princess gestured at both Sokka and the girl to follow her out of the market, and they walked away leaving many disappointed salesmen behind.

"So, we're done!" said Sokka proudly as he limped behind Azula, smiling "I have my cook now! And, you know, she's also a healer! It's why I decided to go for her. She was a very lucky hit, I tell you!"

"Good for you" said Azula, not even half as enthusiastic as Sokka was.

"Uh… excuse me…?" said the girl, still looking as puzzled as ever.

Both Azula and Sokka halted and turned to look at her, wondering why she seemed to be having such a hard time to keep up with the events.

"What exactly is going on here…?" she asked, looking from one to another "I mean… who are you? Who is my actual owner?"

"Well… technically speaking, I'd be the one who owns you" said Azula "Seeing how I was the one to pay for you…"

"But you'll work for me!" said Sokka, still smiling "No worries, I'm a nice guy! I'll treat you as equals, because that's what I've been taught people should do with slaves…"

He smiled at Azula now, and she jumped in surprise.

"E-equals?! What, you and me?!" she said, skeptical "Please! How dare you even think about comparing yourself to me?!"

"Why shouldn't I?" asked Sokka, beaming cheerfully "I mean, you don't treat me like a slave, you've helped me out in many occasions before…"

"That doesn't mean you and I are on equal standing!" said Azula, with a laugh of incredulity "Please, Sokka! Are you trying to set a new record on how ridiculous you can be?!"

"You're just mad because you know I'm right" said Sokka, smirking before turning back to the girl "Azula just doesn't like admitting that she doesn't see me like a regular slave, but don't mind her. She's proud as hell… she's kinda like a nut that's really hard to crack, get what I mean?"

The slave was staring at them, aghast. From the second she saw he had blue eyes she figured he wasn't a Fire Nation man… but she hadn't quite figured he was a slave too. What amazed her, though, was the way he spoke with such familiarity towards the person who could be none other than his master… and her name just happened to be Azula.

The slave market was, naturally, a place for rumors and gossip, and word had been that the Princess had recently hired a gladiator for herself. And as she looked at the man and the woman before her, everything, including his injuries, started to make sense.

"N-no way…" she said, in utter disbelief "W-w-why would the Princess…? W-w-why, her gladiator…? I… I don't understand!"

"You didn't explain anything to her?" asked Azula, looking at Sokka.

"Well, I just… didn't think explaining was that essential" said Sokka, shrugging carelessly.

"As thoughtful as ever" said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Well, for starters" said Sokka, looking at the girl "Your name is…?"

"I… I'm Song" said the girl, as if her name were the only stable thing in her life.

"Song, I'm Sokka" he said, smiling "And this is Azula… uh, Princess Azula. And just as you said it, I'm her gladia-… wait, how did you know who I was?"

"I'd heard rumors about the Princess having a gladiator…" muttered Song, shyly "I just figured, if she was the Princess, then you were probably the gladiator…"

"She's smart, see?" said Sokka, smiling.

"That's just logic speaking" said Azula.

"Whatever you say" replied Sokka, chuckling. Knowing someone would take care of his meals had improved his mood greatly.

"T-then… what exactly is going to happen now?" asked Song "What do you want me to do?"

"You're the slave of a slave" said Azula, smiling slightly "Sounds quite demeaning, doesn't it?"

"Nah, it doesn't!" said Sokka, glaring at Azula "Song won't be inferior to me! Fact is, we're going to be like… siblings!"

"Well, so long as you're not siblings like Zuko and I am, I'm sure you'll get along fine…" said Azula, smirking slightly "In any case, it's time for me to take my leave"

"For you to take your what?" said Sokka, surprised "Where are you going?"

"Back to the Palace" replied Azula, matter-of-factly "Why are you so shocked? Did you think I'd move into your petty house with the two of you or something?"

"W-well… I actually thought you would go shopping with us!" said Sokka, smiling

Azula stared at him with disgust, to Sokka's surprise.

"W-what? Don't you like shopping…?" he asked, innocently

"I don't, actually" said Azula, her arms folded over her chest "I don't shop. Other people buy things for me. The most I've ever shopped was what I just did to get that girl"

With that, she pointed at Song. Song blushed slightly, hardly knowing how to handle being addressed directly by the Princess of the Fire Nation. It didn't matter that she disliked the Fire Nation as she did… being so near the Princess was something beyond what she could have imagined even in her wildest dreams.

"Which entitles me to ask you to come shopping more with us!" said Sokka, beaming "It'll be fun!"

"You're entitled to ask whatever you want to, and I'm perfectly allowed to refuse your proposal" said Azula, glaring at him "You only want me to tag along because you have no money. And you should have some savings; really, because I let you take the winnings from your fight with the Spawn and the Hornet…"

"Hey!" said Sokka "For one, I spent a lot of those first winnings already, and for another one, you were mad at me after the fight with the Hornet and you never gave me the money you promised me!"

"Ah, I didn't?" asked Azula, frowning as she recalled the occasion. Indeed, her anger had driven her to forget completely about the money… "Well, you had it coming anyway"

"Bottom line is, I don't have money" said Sokka, his hands on his hips.

"And I don't want you to spend mine" growled Azula, glaring at him.

Song looked from one to the other, curious. It made little to no sense how a Princess and a slave would speak to each other so casually, as if they were nothing but good friends…

"But I need food!" Sokka whined, and Azula rolled her eyes, exasperated.

"Could you become more annoying, by any chance?!" she asked

"I can try, if you really want me to" said Sokka, smirking. Azula narrowed her eyes at him. Just by smiling like that he was already accomplishing his goal.

"I'm not going with you" she declared, determined "My decision is final"

"You're such a party pooper" said Sokka, pouting.

"Why are you so intent on having me tag along with you?" asked Azula, suspicious "I had assumed you'd like to get rid of me as quickly as possible… are you, by some strange reason, enjoying my company nowadays?"

Sokka knew he would be walking on thin ice no matter his reply to that question, but he merely rubbed his chin before giving out an honest reply.

"Well, truth to be told… I guess I am" he said, smiling.

Azula raised an eyebrow, shocked.

"How the hell…? All I ever do is make you feel bad!" she said, incredulous.

"It's just fun arguing with you!" he said, beaming stupidly.

Azula gulped as he grinned at her. How was she supposed to respond to this? It didn't matter if he enjoyed her company, she simply didn't want to go shopping anywhere… she just wanted to go home and rest for the day…

"Well, we can argue on another day if that's what you want" she grunted, looking at the ground "But, anyways… here"

To Sokka's surprise, Azula handed him a large but carefully calculated amount of money. Sokka looked at her, perplexed.

"What's this…?"

"What I owed you from the Hornet's fight" said Azula, still not looking at him "Use that and get whatever you can afford. I'm going back to the Palace"

"Uh… do you want us to walk you there?" he asked, before Azula could take off.

"No need" she said, raising a hand to stop him "I can find my way on my own"

"Sure, then…" said Sokka, knowing she was perfectly capable to take care of herself… but he felt a strange urge to go with her anyways. Regardless, he didn't press the Princess further.

Azula walked away without bothering to say farewell to either Sokka or Song. The slave girl was still baffled by her circumstances, therefore she wasn't paying anything much attention… but Sokka stood where he was, watching the Princess as she took her leave. He sighed once she was out of sight, and he turned to Song again, smiling.

"So, how about we go buy some groceries?" he asked, beaming.

Song still didn't grasp the entirety of what was happening, but shopping was understandable enough. She smiled back and joined Sokka as they both selected the food they would have for the week. Song was pleased to realize her new master was far nicer than she had expected… he didn't really feel like a master. It was more as if he were merely her friend. His careless and easy-going attitude made her laugh a few times. She was still wondering why the Princess seemed to give her personal slave so much freedom, though. It didn't add up in her mind… she wondered if it added up in theirs. They both seemed to be in a league far beyond her understanding, though.

Sokka dropped on a couch once they got back to his new house. The red fabric was quite soft, allowing him to rest his sore legs after walking so much. He knew that so much exercise would be helpful on the long run, but right now it was merely exhausting.

"I can help you out later with your legs, if you want" said Song, looking at him from the kitchen.

"Nah, don't worry" he said, smiling slightly "I'll be fine"

"There's nothing wrong in letting others help you" said the slave girl, looking at him sternly.

Sokka couldn't help but think that even by her nagging she reminded him of his younger sibling. Sokka smiled and agreed for her to help him later, since she was busy fixing up their meal at the moment.

As he lay down in the couch, Sokka let his eyes flutter closed and he tried to keep his thoughts from straying towards the Fire Nation Princess, where they usually went to nowadays. But whenever he stopped thinking about Azula he was immediately reminded of his Tribe. With Song around, he felt even more homesick than before as he recalled the times when his sister would be the one looking after him… Her features reappeared in his mind and he sighed, missing Katara so much that his chest ached slightly. He wondered how she was doing… had the tribe members gotten over his disappearance? Were they still standing strong against the settlement?

Though there was one question that had lingered in his mind for quite some time now, and it was, no doubt, the most important question of all: was Katara truly leading the Water Tribe's Resistance?

**A/N: ****FYI, whoever submits the 300th review gets a cookie**


	23. Chapter 23

The icy breeze that ran through her dark locks of hair didn't seem so cold to her. Life in the South Pole promised you would be shivering and seeking ways to raise your body temperature at all times… but she didn't bother so much with that anymore. She had to keep warm enough, granted, but her heart had grown colder with each passing day, and so she had grown fond of ice.

Perched atop a watch tower, Katara looked around the village with narrowed eyes. Warriors were working half-heartedly on their weapons, women were taking care of the smaller children, elders were sitting by the fireplace, teenagers were sulking in corners… all in all, the Southern Water Tribe merely seemed sad and empty.

"Katara…" said Hakoda, the Tribe Chief, approaching her "You should get some rest. You've been keeping watch for hours"

"I'm not tired" she replied curtly, not bothering to look at her father as he spoke. She didn't care if her eyes were surrounded by dark circles. She simply didn't feel like sleeping.

"Please, Katara" said Hakoda, placing his hand on her shoulder "I can take this shift. Take a break, please. For me"

Katara sighed and looked up at her father. The gray streaks of hair on his temples weren't the only sign of his aging, the wrinkles on his forehead also showed the man's most glorious years had taken their toll on him. Katara honestly thought he was the one who needed more rest… but the way he looked at her drove her to sigh and nod, climbing off the watch tower her brother had built a long time ago.

She walked by the village, her eyes clouded with grief. She had never known the Southern Water Tribe during its finest years, but back when she had been a child it had lacked the horrible sense of desolation that weighed upon it nowadays. She hated it here, to be completely honest. Ever since she had taken charge of the Water Tribe's resistance, she felt there was an immeasurable distance keeping her apart from everyone else. It hadn't been that way for her brother Sokka… he was always keeping everyone in high spirits, joking with men and women alike, training teenagers and kids so that one day they could be strong enough to defend their Tribe…

Who was she trying to kid, really? It didn't matter if she was the last waterbender of the South Pole… she would never be able to fill in her brother's shoes.

Truthfully, she had never meant to replace him. She had only ever wanted to nag him, to watch out for him, to keep him in line… to make sure that, every time he came home, he would be pleased to find her welcoming him with a smile and her arms wide open to bring him into a hug. But two years and a half had passed… and he still hadn't returned for her to embrace him. And he likely never would.

She felt no need to get any rest. She wasn't really weary. She had grown used to the days of vigil, and she had found she could stay awake for two days straight without feeling any exhaustion. There was nothing for to do in the village at the moment, though… sleeping might have been a good option indeed. Yet she knew that dropping on her mattress would be of no use if she wasn't actually tired. She would simply stay awake for hours, mulling matters over until her thoughts pained her so much that she feared she would shatter. Whenever this happened she would find no better solace but to leave the safety of her igloo and practice her waterbending far from the village, developing new skills and techniques of her own making. She knew her inventions were nothing in comparison to what a real waterbending master could perform… but her rudimentary bending had been enough for her to stand up for her Tribe so far. And that was what she needed to do right now.

Deciding to skip over the awkward stage of rolling around in bed, Katara left the ice enclosure of the Water Tribe and walked through the icy tundra. Nobody followed her. Nobody asked her where she was going. She had become aloof to them, or so they all thought, and they didn't enjoy her company half as much as they had back when she had been just a teenager. Now she was someone else… someone who used waterbending to fight off the Fire Nation invaders. She was no longer the little girl who helped deliver babies, nor was she the kind girl who would play with the kids… now she was Katara, their powerful and fearsome leader.

It was a position she had never wanted… but she had found herself without another choice. It had taken a week after her brother's disappearance for Katara to decide she couldn't leave this matter end like this. She gathered the Tribe's warriors, and she even managed to get her father to accompany her… and, with a well-assembled group, they had attacked the settlement again, in hopes to find Sokka or, at the very least, his dead body.

They hadn't thought the Fire Nation would have reinforced the settlement, though. Fire Nation warriors fought back against them, and even though they were aghast to discover there was a waterbender now amongst the savages, they had retaliated at full force. Hakoda told them to retreat, but Katara wouldn't go back empty handed. She managed to capture one soldier and she tried to force him to tell her what her brother's fate had been. But the soldier had claimed he knew nothing about what she was asking.

Disputes began anew between the Fire Nation Settlement and the Southern Water Tribe. They kept clashing against one another, but they were always even. The shifting periods didn't make much of a difference, since most the people defending the settlement were warriors rather than benders. Katara's fighting prowess was better during the dark period, but she fought to her utmost every single time she needed to, be it under the sun or under the moon.

But they still didn't know anything for certain about Sokka's fate. Haka's theory seemed to make sense: he thought there was no way they had killed him without boasting about it. They would have likely hung his dead body on the walls of the settlement if that were the case, trying to send the rest of the resistance a message. And Katara agreed with him… but she refused to remain hopeful regarding her brother. She had kept her hopes up for all her life only for them to get crushed and destroyed time over and time again. To hope meant to long for a story that would never come true.

And so, after a struggle that had lasted almost two years, both the people of the settlement and the Water Tribe had grown weary of their pointless conflict. The Water Tribe wasn't strong enough to push the people from the settlement back to their rightful place… and the Fire Nation soldiers weren't strong enough to destroy the Water Tribe either. So there was an uneasy peace between them now. Katara knew such peace couldn't last long, but, while it did, she would develop her skills so that she could defeat those Fire Nation invaders when the time came.

She had no idea where her feet had dragged her to once she came back to her senses. The dark period allowed the pole to freeze more water than the usual, and she was sure she was around some of the newer layers of ice right now. Probably during summer they would melt again… but for now, they would suffice for her waterbending training.

She began moving her arms in circular motions, scooping up ice spikes as she did. The exhilarating feeling of controlling an element remained as one of the few truly enjoyable aspects of her life. She swung around the needles, directing them with her fluent but inexperienced movements. She had always wished to find someone who could train her… but she no longer let hope dictate her actions. She would make do with her own skills and creativity to come up with new moves…

She continued bending for what felt like hours, letting herself become one with the ice she was controlling. Out of all the forms of water, ice was the one she enjoyed bending the most. Probably because it felt very familiar to her… when she was younger she had liked the snow better, because it was really pure and beautiful. But seeing how she wasn't interested in purity and beauty nowadays, she had every right to change her favorite water stage. Ice was deadly, and it was the most aggressive of all of water's forms. Learning to use it for her advantage had already come in handy many times as she fought against the Fire Nation warriors…

She stopped bending for a moment and glared at a large ice mound in front of her. She needed to master new skills, she knew it was necessary for her to do so if she wanted to change the odds of their squabble for good. She took a deep breath and began bending, breaking the ice slowly. Cracks showed up all over the previously smooth surface as she brought herself to create icy shards to use them as weapons later on…

She was taken by surprise when something lit up several feet below the ice she had just broken. She stared at the ice in shock, not understanding what had just happened. She looked around, wondering if by some absurd chance another waterbending master was responsible for the light beneath her, but she confirmed she was alone in the ice plain.

Or was she? The ice mound began cracking by its own accord, as if it had a will of its own. It shattered loudly, and Katara had to shield her eyes with her arm to avoid the ice pellets that had flown towards her. The ice broke into two halves and fell apart loudly, collapsing and leaving a large hole in the ground.

A mild white fog surrounded the broken ice structure, compelling Katara to look inside…

She didn't know what lay down below, but she could make out that a large figure was trapped within the ice. She clenched her teeth and began bending again, to release whatever was stuck below. She ripped the ice apart harshly, struggling to keep control of her bending…

But the ice broke out of its own accord once more, and a blinding light was released from below along with a powerful force that swept her off her feet for a moment. The glimmer went up towards the clear skies, glowing for a few seconds before it faded away slowly. Katara stared at the hole that she had opened… no, something else must have opened it. She didn't have the strength or skill to break the ice like that by herself.

She got back on her feet and approached the ice crack, cautious. What exactly had she just released from a frozen prison…?

Her mouth dropped wide open when she saw the largest creature she had ever laid her eyes upon. Its fur was mostly white, although there were also brown hairs that formed an arrow over its huge head. She had never seen an animal like this one. The creature groaned and opened its eyes slowly, scaring Katara. Would it be friendly…?

But she was forced out of her paranoia when she heard a weak whimper from within the hole. She approached the rim and realized the white animal hadn't been alone… there was someone else down below.

Katara was surprised to see a man wearing such getup down at the Water Tribe. His orange and yellow garments looked thin and unlikely to retain heat… he was completely bald too, which was definitely not recommendable either. Had he been brought down to the South Pole against his will? Nobody in his right mind would come down here under such circumstances unless he was trying to die from frostbite…

The man turned around, still shivering badly, but now he was face up towards Katara. She caught sight of the strange blue arrow tattooed over his forehead and, against her better judgment, she had to admit he had quite a handsome face too… but who was he? And why had he been encased in ice? Rather, for how long had he been there?

But Katara postponed asking all those questions when she realized how urgently he needed help. She slid down into the hole, forgetting completely about the possibly dangerous animal nearby. Her mind was set on reaching the young man down below.

"Hey… hey" she said, taking him in her arms "Can you hear me?"

"It's…" replied the man. His voice was far kinder than what Katara was used to. She never would have thought men could speak so softly "It's cold…"

"Yeah, it is" she said, taking off her parka and wrapping up his shoulders with it "Didn't you think it would be before coming to the South Pole…?"

The man didn't reply. His body kept shivering violently even when Katara was trying to get him in heat once more. Clearly, a parka wouldn't be enough to get him warm

"I need to get you out of here somehow…" she said, biting her lower lip. She could propel both of them outside using waterbending somehow… right?

But as she tried to figure a way to bring him out of the ice, the creature next to them moved and roared loudly. Katara's eyes grew wide when she saw it had six feet. The animal looked down at the man in her arms, and Katara was certain she could see worry on his eyes. There was something that looked like a saddle tied on the back of the creature, and she had no idea why had she missed it before.

The creature groaned at her, startling her. It seemed that, for some reason, he wasn't bothered by the low temperatures. The creature shook its head, as if prompting her to get on board so that they could get out of where they were. Katara blinked a few times, insecure… but she decided to trust the creature. If it was saddled, it probably meant it was tame… maybe it was the man's pet or something.

The animal crouched to let her lift the man onto the saddle, which she did with some difficulty before climbing on herself. As soon as she was settled on the saddle, the creature got up and began the ascent from their hole and back to the surface. Katara blushed slightly as she hugged the man tightly. He continued shivering, his breath white and cold. She had never been forced to hold a stranger like this… she knew about the best techniques to get his body back into warmth again, but she didn't think stripping both herself and the man naked while riding a six-legged creature would be a good idea.

Once the animal had made it outside the crevice it seemed to wait for Katara to guide the way. She realized there were reigns tied to the animal's horns and she grasped them, pulling towards the direction where her tribe was.

"This way, big guy" she said, and the creature replied with another groan. Katara wasn't used to working with an animal such as this one, but she was pleased it wasn't as hard as she figured it would be. The creature seemed truly docile.

Katara hugged the man again, looking at him intently. He had to be around eighteen years old, give or take… or perhaps a little older, depending on how long he had been frozen within the ice. But truly, he was freezing. If she didn't manage to get him in warmth quickly enough, he might not survive.

To her relief, it didn't take the creature too long to reach the village… but the same couldn't be said for the rest of the Water Tribe people. Many of them screamed when they saw the animal from afar, and several warriors came out, ready to attack if the beast happened to be hostile…

"Don't!" yelled Katara, surprising the men just as they had been getting ready to throw their spears at them. They hadn't noticed the creature was saddled and carrying two passengers with him "Everything is alright! I found this creature in the ice, and also…"

"That… that's a sky bison, Katara" said her grandmother, Kanna, looking at the animal with reverence.

Katara's eyes grew wide at the revelation. A sky bison, encased in ice…? How exactly did that happen…? Well, she'd have time to seek out those answers later. For now she had to tend to the man in her arms.

"Good to know, Gran Gran" she said, once the bison halted "But there's something more important than that right now"

Everyone stared with wide eyes as Katara climbed off the saddle with the young man on her arms. Several warriors let go of their weapons and helped her with her endeavor. The man tried to open his eyes when he was carried down, but he felt too weak to deal with the world at the moment. There was nothing he could do right now other than sink into unconsciousness once again…

He felt warmer when he came to. A fireplace crept nearby, although it took him a moment to place the sound. He was under some thick covers that felt like animal fur… and he cringed at the thought once he processed it.

"W-where am… what's…?" he mumbled, struggling under the heavy furs.

"Shh…" he heard an unknown voice nearby. It took him a moment to realize it was a female "You're going to be okay. We're going to make sure of that"

"W-what was…? What happened to me…?"

"I wish I knew. I found you frozen cold deep in the ice… I was actually hoping the one to say what had happened would be you"

"I don't… I…"

"No worries, though. If you're not strong enough, there's no need for you to speak. But… can I ask what your name is?"

His name… that was something he could remember, right? It was there, teasing him just like all those things that had slipped off his mind after being frozen… things were only starting to make sense now. The knowledge was right in front of him… he only had to try and seize it… and, by doing so, he began recalling who he was.

"I'm… Aang" he replied, breathless, as if he had been on a race against time or so "Y-you…?"

"Oh, sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Katara. I'm a member of the Southern Water Tribe"

"The Southern…?" muttered Aang, frowning. Yes… yes… the Water Tribe. Things were coming back to him slowly. He had been training, learning waterbending. Toki had been teaching him the advanced set and he had told him he would be ready for his test soon… yes, yes… everything was starting to return to him.

He was taken by surprise when he felt someone lift his head and place it under a cushion of some sort. It surprised him even further when he felt a hot, salty liquid seeping into his mouth. The soup he was being fed would have never been his first pick if he had gotten away with selecting a meal… but he swallowed it regardless. Once he realized he wasn't being fed with a spoon, he made the connection in his mind.

"You're… a w-waterbender… right?"

"Yeah" said Katara, smiling slightly. Aang's eyes were still closed, so he missed her grin "You need to eat this, Aang. It'll help you get better. I have no idea for how long you were frozen, but it's a miracle you managed to survive. And we can't let that go to waste, can we?"

"Sure…" replied Aang, and Katara bent another handful of soup to his mouth. He grimaced again, swallowing with difficulty. It felt as if he hadn't eaten anything in over a century.

They continued with the feeding process until Aang asked her to stop. It seemed he couldn't handle eating that much at the moment, and Katara didn't insist. She sat by him for a moment, feeling at a loss as to what to do… until he opened his eyes and looked at her.

Their gazes clashed for a moment. Aang's eyes had difficulty getting adjusted, he couldn't see the girl properly… but even so, he could see those blue eyes, the typical eyes of a member of the Water Tribe. Yet… they weren't so typical. Something about them made him feel strange on the inside…

"Say…" said Katara, biting her lip again "… my grandmother said that you have the getup of an Air Nomad. Are you… are you really one of them?"

"Y-yeah…" he muttered, lowering his eyes as he blinked a few times, trying to keep his vision from growing blurry "I'm… I'm an Air… Wait…"

"Wait?" repeated Katara, as Aang's face formed a frown. He clenched his teeth together before turning as if to get up, but he didn't have the strength to move.

"My people… they need me…" he gasped, grimacing "I was told about it… I have to go now! Or… Or else, the Fire Nation will… the Fire Nation can't… W-why would they even…?"

"Aang, you're not… you're not making any sense" said Katara, worried. Aang struggled to lift his body out of the furs.

"Y-you didn't hear? T-they're after the Air Nomads… they were going to attack us… I have to do something, or else…"

"No… no way" said Katara, staring at him in shock "Y-you don't mean what you're saying, do you, Aang?"

"O-of course I do!" he said, cringing again "I have to…! They need me!"

"No, Aang… no" said Katara, her hands going to his shoulders as she pushed him back to the bed "You've… you couldn't have been frozen cold for over a hundred years, could you?"

"A… what? A hundred…? Y-you don't… that's not… no way…" stuttered Aang.

"Aang… I'm so sorry" said Katara, sighing "But the Air Nomads… they're gone. And so is the Earth Kingdom. The Fire Nation wiped them both away in the span of a hundred years…"

Katara didn't think too much about what she was saying. She never would have thought she would come to face a person who wasn't aware of the happenings of the last century. Had he truly been encased in the ice for that long? But of course, speaking so thoughtlessly brought forth consequences she hadn't envisioned.

Aang heard her words, his eyes opening slightly again as he looked at nothing in particular, his mouth twitching as it contorted slowly.

"N-no… n-no… y-you can't be serious… n-no way… No way!" he shrieked, with more energy than Katara would have expected him to. Where had he found the strength to shout when he hadn't even been able to keep his eyes open?

She stopped trying to make sense out of his outburst when she realized the Nomad's tattoos were glowing all of sudden. His eyes also lit up as his lips curled back and his teeth formed a snarl. He seemed infused with powers Katara couldn't even start to comprehend… what was going on? That glow… it was the same light that had appeared back when he had been frozen.

He began levitating, frightening her when he did. Wind began blowing inside the igloo, scaring Katara. It seemed the Air Nomad was an airbender… and a waterbender too, judging by how the ice below them began melting and water began spinning around as wildly as the wind, and Katara knew for certain she hadn't been the one to conjure that.

"Katara!" yelled her grandmother, who had been just outside as she tended to Aang. People were beginning to notice the ruckus within the Chief's igloo. It was hard to miss how the ceiling was breaking down: Aang was wrecking it with his bending as he floated, his body still alight with grief.

"KATARA, GET AWAY FROM HIM!" yelled Hakoda, running into the house and trying to reach his daughter, even though the strength of the gusts pushed him away.

For reasons she couldn't quite understand, though, Katara wasn't as badly affected by the uncontrolled airbending Aang was currently performing. She pressed her teeth tightly together as she took a few steps forward, towards him. Her hand reached out for his, and she began pulling him down to the ground again.

As she did, she realized there were tears streaming down his face. He was crying. She had truly been a tactless moron, hadn't she?

Aang's glow dimmed as she pulled him in for a hug, begging him silently to forgive her for speaking so rashly. He began sobbing silently, his weak hands seizing the front of her parka as he wept for the fate of his people, whom he should have saved…

Hakoda and Kanna watched from a few feet away, ignoring the way the ceiling had collapsed after Aang's outburst. They were too busy trying to make sense out of the man's identity to straighten out their priorities for the time being. Because, with that glow… and with the fact that he could bend both air and water…

There was no doubt about it. That kid was the Avatar.

It took a week for Aang to recover. Most the people of the village were unwilling to approach him after his display when he had heard about what had happened to his people. Hakoda had devoted himself to the task of fixing the roof with Katara's help while Kanna took care of the newest arrival to the Tribe. Hakoda told Katara about his suspicions of the man's true identity, and Katara found herself nodding in agreement. Deep down, she had realized that there would only be one person who would be able to bend two elements… and it would have to be the person who could bend all four. But she had been too concerned about the man himself to care much about who he might be.

Now, several days after that had happened, she sat by the open fireplace in the center of the village, her eyes fixated upon the dancing flames. The Avatar… the Avatar. She had given up on him reappearing back when she was still a teenager. She had figured the spirits wished for the Fire Nation to triumph in the war, seeing how they provided them with Sozin's Comet for a second time so that they could finish the Earth Kingdom off. And if the spirits didn't care for them… then, surely, neither did the Avatar. Never would she have imagined that he had been frozen cold several feet under the surface… all the blame she had placed on him was, most likely, undeserved. Being frozen probably hadn't been the Avatar's fault. If she had found him earlier, the rest of the world would have had a chance against the Fire Nation…

She was surprised when she heard muffled footsteps behind her. She turned around and was surprised to find the tattooed man, the Avatar, clad in Water Tribe garments, with a hoodie over his bald head. He walked clumsily to the side of the igloo, where he patted his pet, the sky bison, which Katara heard him call Appa. He spoke to his bison for a moment before spotting Katara by the fire, and, after muttering a short good-bye to his friend, he decided to join her.

"Hey" he said, smiling weakly at her. Katara knew his grin wasn't too honest, but she was astounded to find he had the courage to at least try to smile…

"H-hi… are you okay? Should you be out here in the cold?" she asked, as he sat by next to her, his legs crossed.

"Your grandmother said I have regained my strength quickly" replied Aang smiling "She advised me to come over to the bigger fireplace to get warmer too. And well… I didn't feel like lying down for much longer. I've been asleep for a hundred years, apparently… I think I've rested long enough"

"Yeah… I guess you have" said Katara, smiling slightly before sighing deeply "I… I'm sorry I told you everything like I did. I wasn't thinking straight…"

"No… no need to apologize" said Aang, smiling back at her "I would have found out sooner or later. I just… wasn't expecting to have been frozen for so long"

"It must have been quite an unpleasant shock" said Katara

"Yeah… and you can't even start to imagine just how unpleasant it was"

Katara looked at him sideways, seeing all the sadness in his dark eyes. She was moved by the sight… he was so young, yet he carried such a heavy weight on his shoulders…

"Aang… are you… the Avatar?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer to his question.

Aang turned to look at her, worried about the consequences of admitting the truth... But he sighed and nodded slowly.

"I… I was told of my identity when I was twelve years-old. The monks told me who I was and they also said there were storm clouds gathering or something… I didn't really understand what they meant. They sent me down to the Water Tribe so that I could continue with the next part of my training, seeing how I had already mastered airbending. I spent seven years here, developing my waterbending… but then a message arrived, telling my instructor, Toki, that the Fire Nation was attacking the Air Temples. Apparently their strength was enhanced for some reason… at least, I think the letter said something like that. But it didn't say why they were attacking us in the first place. The letter said I had to stay in the Tribe, to continue training until I mastered this element and was ready to continue onto earthbending… because, if the Air Nomads weren't able to fight back and were forced to submit themselves to the Fire Nation, I would be their only bet on the long run. But I… I didn't want to listen. I couldn't leave my people face the threat of the Fire Nation alone… so I jumped on Appa and I tried to go to the Southern Air Temple. But a storm caught us… a very bad one. I can't remember what I did, exactly… I think I froze us both when Appa fell into the water, but my memory fails me a bit. I think my last thought was that I'd get out of the ice once the storm was over, and I'd get to the Temple once I did… I never expected to be stuck in there for a century, though"

"Of course not" said Katara, looking at him sympathetically "But, say… why were you dressed in Air Nomad garments? Had you worn those clothes during all the years you were here?"

"Not really" said Aang "But I wanted to wear the clothes of my people when I returned to them"

"Huh… I see" muttered Katara, nodding.

"It's just… so hard to believe" said Aang, shaking his head "One hundred years have passed by and I'm still nineteen… but nineteen in another era, apparently. I'm so confused…"

"Well… if there's anything I can do to help you…" said Katara, eyeing him with worry.

"Uh… actually, there might be something" said Aang, lifting his head and looking at her with passionate eyes "Are there still penguins around? They haven't gone extinct after all this time, have they?!"

Katara was taken by surprise by his sudden question. Penguins seemed like a very random topic…

"Y-yeah, they're still around. No extinction" she said, smiling uncomfortably.

Aang sighed in relief and beamed at the fireplace.

"Well, at least there's that. I'll go penguin sledding one of these days, then! And I'll get to see if the penguins have changed in the span of a hundred years…"

Katara couldn't quite understand his enthusiasm, but she smiled at him. He seemed younger than nineteen to her.

"In any case…" he muttered, his façade growing stern slowly "… There are more things I need to know. For one… what happened to the world while I was gone?"

Katara lowered her eyes back towards the fireplace, not wishing to tell the tale of the Fire Nation's long history of triumphs… but the man next to her was the Avatar. He deserved to know.

"Well… a hundred years ago, around the time you froze, a comet showed up in the sky" said Katara "It was renamed Sozin's Comet after Fire Lord Sozin vanquished the Air Nomads by using the Comet's power to enhance his firebending and the firebending of his people"

"Then… there's nobody left?" asked Aang, aghast

"No idea. I mean, you're around" said Katara, shrugging "I don't know anything for certain, truthfully. I've been in the Water Tribe all my life… and I honestly wouldn't want to go anywhere else"

"Why?" asked Aang, surprised

"Because of the Fire Nation" replied Katara, sighing "After overpowering the Air Nomads they attacked the Tribes… they didn't manage to destroy us as easily, since water beats fire most the time. Still, they killed all the southern waterbenders. They slaughtered them because they knew that, if the waterbenders made a stand against them, the Fire Nation wouldn't have a chance at winning the war. After that, they went to the Earth Kingdom. They destroyed it a few years ago, when the comet showed up again, a century after it first appeared"

"But… wait" said Aang, shocked "You mean the Fire Nation… is in control of everything now?"

"Pretty much" replied Katara, shrugging.

"But… it doesn't make any sense" said Aang, troubled "I mean… the Fire Nation has no reasons to go out and try to take over the rest of the world. Back when I was young I visited the Fire Nation a few times and the people were kind to me… I never got along with their food, but one of my best friends was Fire Nation, even!"

"Well, Aang… times have changed" said Katara, sighing "The people you used to know… they're no longer around. Your friend might have been the last nice person in the Fire Nation, for all we know"

"No… no" said Aang, shaking his head "I don't think so. I mean… even if the Fire Lord and most his people are bad, and what they're doing is setting the world out of balance, there's no way the entire nation has gone awry. I can't believe it"

"I'm not just saying this, Aang. I mean it" she said, sternly "If there was some good in the Fire Nation, the Fire Lord wouldn't get away with all the destruction he has brought to the world. They're self-righteous jerks who think their deeds are completely justified because they think they're superior to everyone else"

"But… they didn't use to be like this" said Aang, sighing "They didn't…"

"What do you want me to say about it?" said Katara, shrugging "It's the way things work now. Only the two Water Tribes are still fighting… the Northern Water Tribe is dealing with most the Fire Nation navy, from what I know. Meanwhile, the Southern Water Tribe has to fight with this metallic settlement they established down here about six years ago. We've lost many people because of the Fire Nation… we keep trying to get them out of our territory, but they won't go no matter what we do"

"You've… lost people?" asked Aang, biting his lip as he sneaked a look at the girl next to him.

"Yeah" said Katara, sighing "Many years ago, there was a raid where a firebender killed my mother"

"Oh… I'm sorry" he said

"And well… two years ago, it was my brother" said Katara, grimacing "He arranged an attack to the settlement, but it didn't work for some reason…"

"And…? What happened to him?" asked Aang, when Katara fell silent for a moment.

"Actually, I… I don't know for certain" she admitted, hugging her knees as she brought them up to her chin "My brother… well, I thought they would have killed him, seeing how they killed my mother without a second thought. But we attacked them later and they said they didn't know anything about a Water Tribe warrior being slain there. They didn't have his body… we wanted to give him a proper burial, but they said they didn't have it"

"Then… what happened to him?" asked Aang, confused

"I wish I knew" said Katara, her forehead on her knees "My father said he might have been captured… I don't know if the Fire Nation would have bothered taking him prisoner. What could they gain from doing that?"

"I don't know" said Aang, truthfully "But maybe… maybe they're not as ruthless as you think. He might have been captured and perhaps he escaped somehow…"

"No, Aang" said Katara, shaking her head "I'm done with that. No more hoping, no more dreaming, no more thinking about what could be if the spirits were kind to us. The world is as it is, and hoping for it to be otherwise is just asking to get disappointed"

"Hey… there's no need for that" said Aang, his hand on her shoulder "The monks taught me many things… and one of them was to never give up hope. If you give up on your dreams, you're making sure they'll never come true"

"That's only true for things you can control, Aang" said Katara, sighing "Sokka's fate… I have nothing to do with it as I am. There's nothing I can do for him. And hoping pointlessly for him to be alive… you're pretty much asking for me to mourn over him twice. I lost my brother once already and it was the most painful moment of my life. Losing him again… deluding myself in hopes he's going to return here on his own somehow… it would be a fool's errand. My brother's gone, Aang. The only thing I can do about it is accept that and keep fighting against the Fire Nation in every way I can"

Aang sighed and nodded, giving up. Maybe one day she'd change her mind…

Looking at her right now, Aang realized she was truly beautiful. Her hair was quite pretty, and her eyes were dazzling. The color of her skin also mesmerized him for a moment. When had he last met a pretty girl close to his age? When had he met a girl his age at all, actually? He had met several nuns, and he had traveled the world a few times… but for some reason, he never got around meeting younger girls. He was thankful for that, though. If he had met a beautiful girl back then, he was certain she wouldn't have survived to this day, and it would crush him if that were the case… But he had no need to fill his minds with settings of what might have happened. What mattered was for him to focus on doing whatever he could do about the world as it was now.

"So… are you guys still fighting against the people from the settlement?" he asked, raising an eyebrow

"Yeah, but it's no use" said Katara, sighing "We're evenly matched. They've got soldiers well trained and ready to kill their enemies… our warriors are good, but not that good. I make up for it, though, since I'm a waterbender… but I'm the only one left. Those raids I mentioned to you before… well, they were used to wipe out the waterbenders. They never heard about me bending, I think… so they didn't manage to kill me before…"

"And… have you mastered waterbending by now?" asked Aang, surprised.

"No… actually, no" she said, sadly "The South Pole hadn't had waterbenders in about ten years until I was born. There was nobody to teach me any forms… My grandmother recalled a few movements from the waterbenders she knew back when she was a kid, but mastering a couple of forms wouldn't have been enough for me to become a master. I've made up a few moves, but I'm definitely not half as powerful as the waterbenders of old times…"

Aang blinked a few times before smiling cheerfully. Katara was surprised by his grin.

"Why are you smiling at me like that…?"

"Just thinking… you can become a better waterbender" he said, still smiling "I trained under a powerful southern waterbending master, and I'm pretty sure I could teach you a move or two…"

Katara's eyes grew wide in shock. No way… this couldn't be happening!

"You… You would teach me?!" she asked, her eyes glowing with an emotion she had discarded a long time ago. Hope.

Aang beamed as he saw her lips forming a smile. He nodded promptly as she began laughing with joy.

"I'll… I'll be taught to waterbend by the Avatar. This is the sort of things that I could only ever dream about!" said Katara, smiling broadly.

Aang couldn't help but laugh too. The girl was pretty when she was hopeless and moody… when she laughed she was downright beautiful.

"You have no idea how much that would mean to me, Aang!" said Katara, looking at him gratefully. He chuckled lowly and smiled.

"I think I can imagine" he said, smiling "You never thought the day would come when you would actually have a chance to learn waterbending from an almost-master, did you?"

"No, I really… never" said Katara, chuckling "You… you're just… I really can't thank you enough, Aang"

"No worries" he said, shrugging carelessly "All I need for you to pay me back with… is by not discarding hope, no matter how desperate the situation seems to be. If you stop hoping, you stop living, Katara"

She blushed slightly when he said her name. She nodded, although she didn't feel all that hopeful anyways. It was one thing that her random wish to get herself a waterbending master would come true, but it was something really different for her brother to be alive. She hated the Fire Nation too much to trust them to spare Sokka's life…

Aang realized she hadn't quite complied with his request, but he knew he would have more chances to give her hope. Maybe one day he would take Appa for a ride and they would go looking for Sokka…

Because Aang knew nothing about him, but he could tell that Katara loved him dearly, and he knew Sokka loved her, too. A Water Tribe man who knew his family was awaiting him would never leave them longing for him for more time than necessary. He was likely facing some hardships, but he would come back to his family… Aang knew he would. Because just as Katara was missing her brother so badly right now… Sokka was probably out there, somewhere, missing his dear sister as well.

**A/N: Yes, I know… many of you must have crooked an eyebrow when Aang showed up as a nineteen-year-old instead of a twelve-year-old. Yes, I needed to age him up a notch and give him a different background story xD for a few reasons that I'm sure you guys will understand. Now, as for technical stuff… Yeah, I find it plausible for Aang to have been nineteen instead of twelve. Roku lived in a volcanic island, and the volcano could have erupted at any time. So making it erupt seven years before it happened in canon isn't that long a shot, I think. And of course, Aang was born after Roku passed away and there we go! Continuity remains! Yes, I wanted to keep most of the happenings totally canon… but yeah, for plot devices, I kinda needed to change things as I did, and well, it's a fic after all ^^U giving things a tweak or two is perfectly legal!**

**In any case, I hope you're happy with this chapter ^^ Gladiator wasn't going to remain Avatar-less forever!**

**I will point out, though… as Mahavia stated on a review several chapters ago, this story is only just beginning. This chapter officially closes the introductory arc to Gladiator! And yes, I know many of you are desperate for the Sokkla romance to get a move on… and I'll have you know it will, from here on ^^**

_**P.D: just a heads up, **__**BEWARE**__** the beginning of the next chapter if you're underage! **_


	24. Chapter 24

He gasped for air, a smile playing in his lips as he enjoyed the situation thoroughly. Jolts of pleasure ran all over his body: a gentle tingle that translated into arousal, spreading from the tip of his fingers and all the way to his toes…

His partner was working him in such a powerful, steady way that he was unable to do anything but sigh, lost in bliss as he was. He had never been through a ride as intense as the one he was enjoying right now. His teeth were gritted tight while he tried to keep his groans to himself, no matter how difficult it was. His naked body shivered slightly whenever the tongue playing with his manhood slipped towards his most sensitive spots, increasing his excitement effectively. He could say for certain that nobody had ever devoured him in this manner before…

… Who might it be, then? For some reason, he didn't know. It made little to no sense to be on the receiving end of a blowjob without knowing who was providing it…

He lowered his eyes curiously, just to catch a glimpse of the anonymous pleasure giver who was working all the way through his shaft…

His eyes snapped wide open when he saw that curtain of black hair. Her head was tilted down as she delivered oral pleasure to his member, so he couldn't see her face clearly… but it wasn't hard to guess her identity. She kept traveling over him slowly, her lips wrapped around him, her tongue teasing his skin cruelly…

And then she lifted her head slightly, her amber eyes darting up to find his. He was in shock… and the way she smirked at him only managed to further his amazement. But was it good amazement, or bad amazement? It was her, after all… it was Azula. The Princess he had loathed for years… He didn't hate her anymore, that much he knew, but for her to do something like this… It was wrong, in every way!

So why was he getting even more aroused after realizing it was her?!

It couldn't be possible, what was happening had to be a lie… it couldn't be true. It couldn't! Still, the way she smirked slightly as she played with his manhood, as if knowing the turmoil he was going through… of course it was happening. Why the hell did he ever think otherwise?! She was playing with him! Torturing him as she brought him into her field, making him lose himself in the insanity…

And why was he letting her?!

Because there was no stopping it, clearly. He could do nothing to keep himself together. A familiar thrill ran through his body as he got closer and closer to his finish. Still, the arousal was rising much higher than its usual peaks… probably because he was dealing with her. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't believe it. She was driving him towards an unknown edge, far beyond the frontiers he had known in his life, and he couldn't do nothing other than submit himself to her…

Sokka woke up with a loud gasp, sitting up in his bed as he panted, sweat running down his body. He did nothing but take deep breaths as he tried to grasp terms with reality… that dream had been so vivid he hadn't realized it was merely a dream. Not often did he realize his dreams weren't real, but this time… it had been something beyond the usual.

Because he had dreamt about Azula… in quite an undignified manner.

The thought made him blush and grimace at the same time. How dared he?! Was he insane?! And Azula… of all people, Azula! His sponsor! The woman he had loathed for two years straight, who he had wanted to kill painfully…! And he had dreamt about her… doing something so degrading… pleasuring him orally…

He smacked his forehead several times as he tried to come to terms with the fact that it had been merely a dream. It meant nothing! No matter how real it had seemed, how appealing it had been, how exciting…

He stopped in the middle of his thoughts before slamming himself down on the mattress again yanking his hair with despair; the bulge between his legs making feel him even more uncomfortable. As if he needed to feel more uncomfortable…

"I need help" he muttered, appalled by his thoughts. If Azula ever found out about this, she'd skin him alive…

By the time morning broke, Sokka was still unable to get his dream out of his mind. He hadn't managed to go back to sleep no matter how hard he had tried, because he feared she would be waiting for him again in his dreams. And he hated how eager he was to meet her in that darkness so that they could continue with their lecherous endeavors… it was plain wrong! He couldn't think of Azula like this!

Thus he spent the remnants of the night rolling under the covers, beating himself up for what he'd dreamt about. Azula was his sponsor… someone who was using him for her own, mysterious ends. She wouldn't do something like that with him, of all people… fact was, she probably wouldn't do something like that with anyone. But if there was a list of likely people Azula would think sexually of, he would be closing off the list, surely. His advances towards her had only ever been to tease her… and she probably hated it whenever he implied anything of the sort. She was a Princess, after all… the Fire Nation Princess. He was a snow savage. Just thinking about it like helped him realize it had only been a dream. It could never become anything else, so he'd do better to stop thinking about it…

It was no use, though. The dream had poisoned his mind, his body and soul. Poisoned or mesmerized? Probably both. The sunlight's dim glow came through the silk curtains hanging over his window and he groaned in displeasure. He had a fight today, and he had scarcely rested at all because of that useless illusion that had taken over his brain functions. Azula would surely be disappointed by his performance later…

He wanted to beat himself up when he placed that last thought on the wrong setting. There was something seriously wrong with him!

A month had passed after he had obtained this house. He had returned to the Arena after a few days of training, when his arms and legs began working properly again. Clad in his new armor – which he had guilt in cobalt, making it more fit for the Blue Wolf to wear – he had walked out into the sand pit to face a weak enemy from the lowest stretches of the Ranking. The Murderous Serpent had only won a match, yet his sponsor had the guts to challenge Azula. She agreed to the fight because she figured Sokka needed a warm-up before fighting against stronger gladiators.

Sokka had been slightly uneasy about the fight at first, but he had gone with it despite it wouldn't provide him with too many points. He beat the man with such ease he was astounded once he was lying down in front of him in the sand, thoroughly defeated.

Three more fights had followed on the next weeks, and Sokka managed to prove he was fit once again by defeating every opponent he had been faced with. Granted they were nowhere near as strong as the Blind Bandit, but at least he had managed to gain back the confidence he had lost after losing against her.

To Sokka's surprise, the crowd seemed to love him now. Whenever he was introduced as he entered the sand pit, he was welcomed by cheers beyond any he had heard before. When he walked through the vestibule he found himself smiling at people merely by reflex as they looked at him with admiration. What was going on here? Why were the crowds interested in him? What exactly had he done, other than making a fool of himself during his fight against Toph…?

Even today he kept asking himself that same question. It had been almost a month since he had returned to fighting, and he hadn't brought himself to ask Azula about it. The Princess seemed to get by just fine with this newfound attitude people had towards them, since she was used to the worship… but he wasn't. He figured that by asking her he would get no useful answer anyhow, so he tried to shrug the matter off ineffectively. And it had been ineffective to forget about it because he had found nothing else to think about… Now he wished the only issue he had to ponder about was the strange behavior of his supporters.

He climbed off his bed when he heard a few sounds on the lower level of the house. Surely Song was already making breakfast. The girl had been very nervous during her first days working with him, she likely had been expecting Sokka to push his luck with her… and she seemed quite pleased to see he hadn't tried anything out of bounds towards her. Sokka had told her later that she reminded him of his younger sister, and the girl had been surprised, but apparently flattered to know that.

The massages she had given his legs had improved his status far more than he had expected. Thanks to her, he had been walking without crutches only five days after she had begun helping him. He probably owed her most of the last stretch of his recovery. As she worked with him they often talked about the old days, when their homes were still untainted by the Fire Nation. Song's father had been taken from their home when she was a child, and she had obtained a bad burn during that raid. But she hadn't been caught and forced to become a slave until after Sozin's Comet had showed up almost eight years ago. Sokka had told her about his own story as well and Song had been amazed to hear about his complex situation with Azula. She didn't seem to find it as unbelievable as it sounded, not after seeing the two of them interact as they had when they had bought her at the market.

Song was quite shy around Azula. The Princess didn't seem too fond of her, always raising an eyebrow and eyeing her with her trademark arrogance… Sokka was used to her treating most people like this by now, but Song clearly had no idea how to handle the Princess's royal behavior. Whenever they met, Song's legs would shake and she'd stutter, trying not to make a fool of herself… and failing quite often at that, adding to Azula's displeasure.

The Princess didn't stop by Sokka's house too often. She came by only when he had to go to the Arena or when she had found a promising master for him. The latter hardly ever occurred, seeing how little men Azula had managed to find who were up to Sokka's skill… and, to her disappointment, none was superior. Sokka would spar with them in his house's backyard, and he would always disarm his opponent with enough ease for him to feel entitled to boast about his deed for days. He often said that, instead of trying to get him a master, it seemed as if Azula had been giving him the chance to humiliate weaklings. She would roll her eyes at this statement, but she couldn't prove otherwise. She brought him sword master after sword master, and none of them stood a chance when facing Sokka.

Regardless, Azula wouldn't stop looking for a master. Sokka was strong, certainly… but nowhere near strong enough. Toph's skills were unparalleled as far as they were concerned, but there were, likely, stronger fighters than her within the ranking. And if Sokka wasn't able to keep up with them it was unlikely they would spare his life in the way the Blind Bandit had.

Trying to keep his focus on the Gladiator industry, Sokka got dressed and picked up his weapons and armor, ready to take off to the Grand Royal Dome once he was done with his breakfast. His opponent for today, The Eastern Wayfarer, was in the 318th slot in the ranking. Sokka himself had progressed smoothly after his latest fights, becoming the 375th gladiator on the lists. Since he felt fully functional now, Azula had decided to raise their game and she had him fight warriors on higher legs of the ranking now. They kept to non-benders, seeing how Sokka was still wary of fighting earthbenders, but so far, he had defeated every non-bender he had been faced against, and Azula seemed to be willing to face him against even stronger foes… Sokka had convinced her not to go for that just yet, though. If he defeated the Wayfarer by a wide margin, he would let her accept the challenges of non-bending gladiators on the higher layers of the ranking. Because, thanks to the fame they had gained recently, challenges seemed to rain over them.

Sokka dropped before the dining table, listening to the usual sounds in the kitchen as Song arranged their breakfast. Sokka's hands went to the sides of his head as he tried to fight the urge to fall asleep now. Resting wasn't such a bad idea… but he recalled again what might await him once he closed his eyes. When he realized that only made sleeping more appealing to him he felt horribly repulsed about himself. Just how more shameless could he get?

"Good morning" said Song after a few minutes, leaving a tray with his breakfast in front of him "Did you sleep… well?" she asked, interrupting herself when she caught sight of the exhausted look on his face.

"I… hardly slept, to be honest, but I'll be fine" he muttered, forcing a smile as he began eating.

Song blinked and sat beside him, eyeing him with concern.

"Why didn't you sleep…? You have a fight today… is it you're nervous about it?"

"N-no, no, it's…" started Sokka, but he thought twice about letting Song know what had kept him awake. If she knew what sort of lewd dreams he'd had, she'd surely think he was a pervert… "It's nothing, really. Don't mind me"

Song still seemed worried, but she didn't press further. Sokka didn't really feel like a master while she was his slave, he felt more like a friend… but he was still a figure of authority, and if he wished for her to quit pestering him, she would obey him.

Sokka finished his breakfast and took a seat on the living room, his head straying back to his dream even when he kept trying to distract himself with the patterns of the floor's wooden planks. It was no use to keep that image out of his mind, it had been so strong, so real… even when there was nothing real about that setting. Azula wouldn't do something of the sort… she never ever would want to satisfy him… if anything, she'd want him to satisfy her! And… would he, if she ever asked?

He blushed at the thought. No, no, no… he was letting weird ideas into his mind again, and that was plain wrong!

A loud knock to the door brought him out of his thoughts, but it wasn't a knock he welcomed gladly. Sokka already knew who was outside.

He blushed as he realized he would come face to face with his dream girl in a few seconds. How could he face her after what he'd dreamt about?

"Good luck today, Sokka" said Song happily, as Sokka picked up his weapons and armor and got ready to leave.

"Y-yeah, thanks… I'm sure I'm going to need it" he gulped, fitting the black-and-blue armor around him and gulping as he looked at the door again.

He opened it to find the Captain of Azula's Royal Guard before it, looking bored even when a mask covered his face, as always.

"Morning, Cap'!" said Sokka, trying to behave as naturally as ever. The Captain raised an eyebrow, seeing how Sokka's act actually came off as unusual and ridiculous instead of natural.

"What's the matter with you?" asked the man, folding his arms over his chest "You're not under the influence of some weird substances, are you?"

"Huh? Oh, come on!" said Sokka, shaking a hand carelessly "Can't I just talk casually to my good friend the Cap'?"

"No" said the Captain, harshly "Whoever said you and I were friends…?"

"That's rough to take, man" said Sokka "Here I was, thinking otherwise…"

"You'd better be on your right mind, gladiator" said the Captain "The Princess won't tolerate it if you make a fool of yourself in the Arena today"

The mention of the Princess made Sokka blush against his better judgment. Thankfully, the Captain seemed to miss the red on his cheeks because he was already walking down the lawn that led to the main road, where Azula's palanquin awaited amongst more guards. Sokka could see her silhouette through the thin curtains that covered the vehicle. He gulped again, feeling his mouth becoming dry all of sudden.

"Well?" said the Captain, turning to look at Sokka, who had remained frozen, staring at the shape within the palanquin.

"Uh, y-yeah! I'm right behind you!" Sokka called, running down the lawn when the palanquin and guards began moving, their course set on the Grand Royal Dome.

Walking behind the palanquin usually annoyed Sokka slightly, since it used to remind him of the distance that existed between him and the Princess… and today it was even worse than usual. He couldn't even bring himself up to glaring at the palanquin in disapproval… just looking at it reminded him of the glow in her eyes when she had been between his legs… oh, come on! It was a dream! She hadn't been there! And she likely never would be!

He kept beating himself up about this all the way until they reached the Arena. His heart rate went bonkers when Azula climbed off the palanquin. Her hair, her eyes, her lips… He couldn't stop staring at her, feeling both attracted towards her and disgusted at himself, because he couldn't stop thinking about the way she had looked in that dream, her pale skin bare for him to see…

"Why are you in a daze?" she asked, her tone as harsh as usual. Sokka snapped out of his illusion with difficulty, shaking his head as he blushed intensely again

"I wasn't… i-it's nothing" he said, still flustered as he walked up towards the Dome's twin doors, with Azula treading behind him as she eyed him with uncertainty.

They reached Shoji's counter and registered with him as they always did, although Sokka's nervous behavior even puzzled the boy, who decided not to ask anything even though he was staring at the fighter with curiosity.

"Sokka…" Azula asked as they walked down towards the stand-by room. He grew nervous again when she called his name "… is something the matter? What's bothering you?"

"Oh… me?" he said, smiling awkwardly "N-nothing, I'm okay! I mean, I'm just, uh… focused, yeah! You know, this guy will likely be tough and all…"

"No, not according to the information I've gathered" said Azula "He's also a swordsman, but he's nowhere near your skill. He likes tossing daggers, so you'd do best to watch out for those"

"Uh… got it" said Sokka, nodding as he looked at her. He hadn't heard any of what Azula had just told him, busy as he was at gawking at her features to actually listen to her.

"In any case, I'm certain you'll find him to your level" said Azula, as they entered the room "Truth to be told, I don't see why you would struggle against a non-bender. For all we know, you're likely one of the strongest non-benders in the Superior Gladiator League"

"I might be" said Sokka, shrugging as he sat down on a bench, fixing his armguards as he tried to stop his thoughts from straying towards Azula "But the ranking has more firebenders and earthbenders in it than non-benders…"

"I know" said Azula, frowning "And… and I still don't know what to do about it"

"I could try to get to the top just by fighting non-benders…" said Sokka, shrugging

"The best ranked non-bender is on the 30th slot at the moment" replied Azula, shaking her head "If we're aiming for the top, you must learn to fight benders as well"

"How?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow

"I… I don't know" said Azula, sighing.

"Still haven't found a good master, I take it…" said Sokka, and she shook her head.

"It's no use" she muttered "You're already past the point of having a sword master, I suppose. But you need, at the very least, a sparring partner of some sorts or else your skills will grow dull. And you need to develop techniques to defeat benders too…"

"Maybe I just need to study them closely" said Sokka, shrugging "I mean, after fighting you I managed to handle the Spawn, didn't I? So maybe I need to fight against earthbenders to understand how to beat them…"

"It's a valid point, but how, exactly, would you do that?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "Where do you think you'll find an earthbender to study? I rather doubt the Bandit would want to help you with this…"

"Well, there's not a shortage of earthbenders, is there?" asked Sokka, shrugging "It's not like I'm saying I've got to find an airbender. There are plenty of earthbenders out there that might help out if you ask nicely enough… and by that I mean you'd have to ask while handing them a bag of gold, of course"

"Haven't I already told you I've spent more than enough money on you?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, I've won most my fights. You've made back some of the money I've cost you!" said Sokka, folding his arms over his chest

"Not nearly enough yet, though" said Azula, rubbing her forehead "You haven't even made up for half the money I had to pay Piandao for training you, let alone what I spent for your house or your slave"

"W-well…"

"We can discuss our finances later, though" said Azula, turning to look at him.

When her eyes were set on his, Sokka found himself gaping at her, his mouth slightly open. After spending more time around her he had gotten used to her beauty… or so he had thought. But right now she seemed more beckoning than ever before… that dream had messed up with his mind in more ways than he could point out.

"Be careful out there" she said, her eyebrows furrowed "The Wayfarer has lost a few times, but that doesn't mean you'll beat him too easily. As I told you, watch out for his daggers"

"Y-yeah…" said Sokka, snapping out of his momentary trance with a nod

Azula didn't miss the way he had looked at her, but she didn't bother asking. She merely raised a slightly inquisitive eyebrow, which Sokka missed because he had lowered his gaze down to his arm guard again, trying to avoid making a fool of himself by staring at her as he had.

"Good luck" she muttered, making him blink in surprise. The tone in which she said those words was quite unusual… as if she deeply wished he would come out safely from this fight.

He looked up to find she was already leaving the room, and he sighed, feeling an utter fool. Azula might care for the outcome of the match, but mostly because she hated losing. It didn't mean she cared for him… all she had done for him lately she had done because she lacked another choice. She had bought him the house to get him away from her, gotten him a slave so that he would eat well and stay strong… but what about the way she had carried him out of the Arena after the fight against Toph? He had expected her to be mad at him… never would he have imagined she would save him as she had. Did it mean anything…? No, of course not. He was flattering himself, as usual.

But the fact that she had gotten him the house to spend less time near him bothered him a little. Azula needed a break from him, apparently… while it was the last thing he wanted to give her. Being around her, arguing with her, laughing at her and also feeling like a fool around her… it happened to be more fun than it should be. And he wanted more of that…

The golden grid moved upwards, prompting Sokka to enter the Arena amongst hoots and cheers as the announcer introduced him to the crowd. Shortly after, the Wayfarer entered the Arena as well. He was a few years older than himself, wearing a helmet and armor fashioned from iron. He seemed determined to win, judging by the expression on his eyes… and Sokka didn't seem to share his drive at the moment, seeing how he was thinking of his sponsor. Everything else seemed irrelevant when he was thinking about her.

"Get ready… START!" yelled the announcer, and the Wayfarer took a stance, wary. Word of Sokka's skills and unusual way of fighting had spread quickly, and nobody took him for granted nowadays.

But the Blue Wolf was anywhere but in the game at the moment. He lifted his hand towards Space Sword, getting it out of its scabbard as he sighed.

"You're not going to go for it…?" asked the Wayfarer, his voice a little shriller than Sokka expected it to be.

"Huh…? Oh, hey!" said Sokka, apparently snapping out of his thoughts for a moment "Didn't see you there! How are you?"

The Wayfarer looked annoyed at Sokka's careless attitude, something the Water Tribe warrior didn't miss out on. He lifted his weapon a little higher, glaring at him with his green eyes.

"How about you open those eyes, then?" he called out, jumping at Sokka with his weapon in tow.

Sokka was slightly curious at the man's fighting style. He was, likely, a sword master of some blade technique Sokka didn't know about… but his style didn't seem strong enough to challenge the Blue Wolf. Sokka evaded him swiftly, smacking the Wayfarer's buttocks with the flat of Space Sword, making him trip and stagger as he tried to regain his posture.

The people at the stands roared with laughter after that move. Sokka smiled at the sound, and looked up to the sponsors' balcony, finding even Azula seemed slightly amused at the blow he had just delivered to his rival. Seeing her smirk like that made him smile clumsily, feeling some ridiculous sense of achievement…

The Wayfarer came back at him, tossing the daggers Azula had warned him about. Sokka spun about and avoided them, knocking one to the ground with his sword. He snatched his boomerang from his back and tossed it at the Wayfarer, who ducked and avoided it. The man was cautious of the moment when the boomerang would return and strike him on the back, since this form of attack had become the Blue Wolf's trademark movement… but, busy as he was keeping an eye out for the boomerang, he didn't realize he had given Sokka an opening. The Blue Wolf jumped forward, shoulder first, and he tackled his opponent.

The Wayfarer flew a few meters back, struggling to catch his breath after the unexpected attack. Sokka caught his boomerang once it returned to him and brandished it as his secondary weapon, holding it in his left hand.

The Wayfarer stood up, panting, and he drew out one of his daggers, imitating Sokka's double-weapon fighting style. He ran at Sokka again and clashed both his weapons against his, pushing at him. The Wayfarer snarled until he realized the Blue Wolf's mind seemed to be anywhere but in the fight… his eyes kept shifting to the left, where the sponsors' balcony stood. Sokka bit his lip, wondering if Azula would be proud once he beat this guy…

A kick to his stomach snapped him out of his delusions. He shook his head, realizing he was letting his newfound fascination with Azula to distract him when he should have kept his mind in the fight. His dream kept coming back to him, making him lose his focus easily… but he couldn't keep going like this. He would lose at this rate…

The Wayfarer came in for another attack, but Sokka was ready for it. He ducked at the last second, bringing his boomerang up and slamming it against the Wayfarer's chin painfully, making his helmet fly off his head with the impact. Sokka watched his opponent roll on the ground again after tripping on him, and he collided against the Arena's well after dropping his sword when he had rebounded on the sand. Sokka wiped the sweat of his brow before jumping once again to attack just as the Wayfarer stood up.

Sokka pushed him back by pressing his boomerang to his rival's chest, his sword on the tip of the Wayfarer's neck. The Wayfarer tried to balance himself to avoid falling into the deep, dark pit that awaited him below. Sokka could see the fear on his eyes… was there anything to soften the fall if he were to drive him over the edge of the well? He wondered… perhaps down below were the corpses of many gladiators who had been killed by their opponents just like this…

The Wayfarer's hand shot up, taking hold of the Boomerang, trying to retain some balance and avoid falling. The panicked look on his face sent Sokka on a guilt trip for a moment. The fellow really hadn't asked for this much, had he?

"P-please…" he said, desperate.

Sokka sighed and put away his sword, pulling the boomerang forth and bringing the man back to steady ground. The Wayfarer looked truly thankful… until Sokka smacked his temple with Space Sword's hilt, rendering him unconscious.

The crowd roared with cheers again, and Sokka smiled, looking towards the balcony once again, in hopes of seeing the Princess beaming down on him proudly… she wasn't looking at him, though. The sponsor next to her was surrendering a bag of money to her as she smirked with that characteristic arrogance of hers. Sokka sighed but smiled slowly, pleased to see his debt to her was being shortened with every fight he won. The announcer declared him triumphant, as expected, and some staff members of the Arena came in to drag the Wayfarer out of the sand pit and into a waiting room above so that they could perform a medical check on him.

After what had happened during Sokka's fight with the Blind Bandit, Azula had put her foot down regarding the fighters' safety in the Superior Gladiator League. She didn't merely submit a suggestion for the League's executive chief to take into consideration, she met directly with him and forced him to hire medical staff to check out every fighter's health status after the fight was done and provide treatment if it were necessary. Seeing how she was the Fire Lord's daughter, and also how her recent joining of the League had increased their winnings greatly –her joining of the League had gained the Gladiator business an increase in the audience and bids–, the chief executive found himself agreeing with her terms with a panicky smile on his chubby face.

Therefore, Sokka had to undergo a medical check after the fight was done. Azula arrived to the waiting room he was in just as they were on the final stretch of his medical check. Azula couldn't help but blush slightly at the sight of her shirtless gladiator, memories of a certain day at Piandao's house coming back to her mind slowly… yet she kept a straight face as the two men dealing with him tested his leg's reflexes, something Sokka found pointless… but when he realized Azula had arrived he forgot all about the uselessness of what the physicians were doing.

"So… what did you think?" he asked, smiling "It was an easier fight than expected, huh?"

"No kidding" said Azula, surprised by how enthusiastic he seemed. It looked like he wanted her to praise him, judging by the eager look on his face… he was behaving weirder than usual today, definitely "I suppose this means you can aim higher on your next fight, just as I thought"

"O-oh…" said Sokka. He had forgotten momentarily about how she wanted him to fight stronger gladiators… "Yeah, that's true. W-well, I guess we can look at those big challenges now, then…"

"No need to be so panicked" said Azula "After your display today, I'm sure you can handle most non-benders easily"

"Likely" he said, smiling. She was impressed by how quickly he had finished the fight, but he knew she wouldn't say it out loud…

The physicians told him he was fit to go, and Sokka clad himself in his usual garments again. Azula secretly wished he would stay shirtless for a while longer, but she remained as they exited the room together.

"Say… about what we were talking about earlier, about me needing a training partner and whatnot…" said Sokka, his weapons dangling on his back "I think I have an idea"

"You do?" asked Azula, raising a suspicious eyebrow. She didn't question Sokka's intelligence… but for him to find a solution to their problems before she did was somewhat unexpected.

"Well… I did mention that, back in my fight against the Spawn, fighting against you helped me think of how to fight a firebender, right?" he said

"Yeah… so?"

"And you're likely one of the strongest firebenders around, aren't you?"

"Clearly…" said Azula, smirking slightly.

"Then, by training against you, I can solve my issue of learning how to fight firebenders" he said, smiling "I only would need to find an earthbender to train with, as I said before…"

"And what about your regular training against non-benders?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "Or do you think you don't need it after what you did just now?"

Sokka allowed himself to smile slightly for a moment, pleased to hear her ask that.

"No, no, as you said, I should keep my abilities well honed…" he said, smiling down at her. Azula's eyebrow went even higher "… but you know, that can be solved in a simple way too. I mean, all I really need is another swordsman to train with…"

"Yeah, that's what you need… so?" asked Azula "What's your point, Sokka?"

"Well, I was thinking… how about you?" he asked, smiling innocently with his eyes closed.

Azula stopped on her tracks just as they were about to reach the staircase. She looked up at him in confusion, not quite grasping what he was trying to say.

"What?" she asked, thoroughly confused.

"Look, I know it sounds weird" said Sokka, chuckling "But you've told me how you wanted to learn how to wield swords when you were younger and you never got a chance to do it. So I was thinking I could give you that chance… and teach you the things Piandao has taught me. I can help you become a sword master and you can help me train! It's a win-win situation, isn't it?"

Azula's eyes began gleaming in a different way now, and Sokka found himself blushing because of them. It was odd that he wasn't even thinking about his dream anymore… he was enticed by Azula just as she was right now.

"Y-you… you'd really do that?" she asked, astounded "S-Sokka, that would be…"

"A dream come true?" he finished, smirking slightly.

Azula couldn't help but smile as well as she shook her head, surprised by his sudden proposal.

"You're… w-what's with you today?" she asked, looking at him in amazement, something Sokka prized more than she could tell.

"Well, I just… woke up with a new take on life, you could say" he muttered, blushing slightly as he walked down the stairs, hoping she wouldn't figure out his new take had something to do with the illusion of her giving him a blowjob.

Azula watched him go, still impressed. There was something odd about Sokka… but even though before it had been slightly annoying, now it was quite interesting. Why suggest teaching her how to handle swords? She could recall that he had mentioned she was deadly enough with her fire and lightning… why would he offer to teach her swordsmanship now?

She didn't know, of course, that Sokka's deeper intentions were related to the fact that he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. Having a house of his own had many perks… but he found himself missing his time in the Palace, when he got around seeing Azula every day. His dream had served no useful purpose at first… but eventually he had come to realize he wanted to be near Azula, no matter in which way. And if she became his training partner, he would get around being close to her very often…

Sokka waited for her by the bottom of the stairs and she led the way to Shoji's counter, both seeming unusually content with the other's presence. Shoji eyed them with curiosity, knowing the Blue Wolf had triumphed… but these upbeat attitudes were something he hadn't seen on either of their faces before.

"So, you won!" said Shoji, smiling "Congratulations, Blue Wolf! You've passed the mark of a thousand points now!"

"I did?" asked Sokka, beaming too "How many do I have?"

"1008, if I did the math right" said Shoji, smiling "Your last fights have been so amazing that people hardly remember your first and only loss"

"Speaking of which…" asked Sokka, his eye twitching "How's the Bandit doing?"

"Oh… she's still above you, even after today" said Shoji, grimacing "1013, though! You can catch up if you get down to it! A few more fights and you can surpass her!"

"I doubt it" muttered Azula, taking Sokka aback.

"H-huh?!"

"I have the feeling Iroh has probably issued out enough challenges against stronger foes to get his earthbender higher and higher. Likely with gladiators around the 200th position or so…"

"Then we just need to fight someone from the 100th and we'll get to rise higher than her" said Sokka, pouting slightly.

"Huh?" Azula looked at him in surprise "You want to try your luck against someone on such higher levels?"

"I don't see why not" said Sokka, smirking "As long as I go against non-benders, of course…"

Azula frowned, deep in thought. Would that be too bold of them…?

Shoji brought their attention back to the counter after clearing his throat. The boy held a couple of challenges on his hands and he held them out for Azula to take.

"I'm not sure if you wanted someone higher than these two…" said Shoji "But out of the many challenges you've gotten, these two are non-benders and they are highly placed in the ranking. So… maybe one of them would suffice"

"How about both?" said Sokka, cheerfully, as Azula read the challenges.

"Huh…" she muttered, catching the familiar name on the first sheet "Kyoshi's Heir… I recall having spotted her on the ranking before"

"Yup, when you signed the Blue Wolf up" said Shoji, nodding "She's 141 right now, so she'd provide you with many points if you beat her!"

"True…" said Azula, looking at the other challenge as well "And the Savage Hook. What's his current position?"

"He's… 178 right now" said Shoji, after scanning the ranking quickly "I suggest you take on Kyoshi's Heir first, though"

"Huh? Why?" asked Sokka, surprised.

"Well… take a good look at the challenge" said Shoji "Is there anything… unusual about it?"

Azula and Sokka looked down at the paper again, both trying to find what Shoji was talking about… and Azula didn't take too long to spot it.

"The bid is merely… one hundred yuans?" she asked, raising an eyebrow "Is this allowed?"

"Well, there are no limits as to what you can bid…" said Shoji, shrugging

"But this is ridiculous" said Azula, frowning "Who would want to bid such low amounts of…?"

"That…" interrupted Shoji "… seems to be the way Kyoshi's Heir's sponsor works, from what I've seen. He always sends low bids, and waits for the opposite side to send him a larger bid. He seems to play the egos of other sponsors, making them feel superior and the sort because they see such dumb bets that they end up raising them to ridiculously high levels, in hopes that maybe Kyoshi's Heir's sponsor might be unable to pay up if he loses. But that's the thing…"

"What thing?" asked Sokka

"Kyoshi's Heir is a very skilled fighter, and a very popular one too" said Shoji "Strong, elegant, whatnot… But I took the time to analyze her fights, because I'd noticed the way her sponsor played others on the money game, and guess what I discovered? Whenever the opposite sponsor issues out a challenge with sky-high bids, Kyoshi's Heir doesn't fail to win, no matter what efforts she has to take on to triumph. But if the opposite sponsor either keeps the bid low, or only raises it a little higher, she doesn't fight to her best. It's why she has lost so many times: because those fights didn't have high bets"

"So… you're saying her sponsor presses her to fight to her best when the stakes are high?" asked Sokka.

"No" said Azula, with certainty "He's saying that Kyoshi's Heir's sponsor is into this for the money"

"Exactly" said Shoji, nodding "Her fighting prowess depends on the winnings…"

"But why does he issue out challenges like that, then?" asked Sokka, confused "If he wrote down a huge amount of money on the first go…"

"He wouldn't lull the other sponsors into a false sense of security" stated Azula "He plays with them while doing this, makes them think such a ridiculous bid wouldn't be worth their time… but when they realize Kyoshi's Heir is so high on the ranking, they think it might be worth a shot. A sponsor with a high-ranked gladiator should be able to offer more money… so they think she's probably a losing streak. They think the explanation behind the man's behavior is that he doesn't want to risk losing much money because he can't trust his gladiator. They're too deluded by their own wealth and success to realize they're actually playing his game"

"Huh… that's similar to what you did with Chan, isn't it?" asked Sokka "You sent a challenge that seemed so favorable to him that he couldn't say no"

"Exactly" said Azula "You gladiators fight with bending or weapons… us sponsors have to fight through challenges. It sounds weird, but you've seen it first hand by now, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I suppose I have" said Sokka, nodding "So…? What are we going to do about Kyoshi's Heir?"

"It's simple" said Azula, leaning down and writing the response to the challenge "I'll take this as it comes. One hundred is a pathetic bid, no denial… but we're in for the points, not for the money. If Kyoshi's Heir doesn't fight to her best, you'll have a clearer shot at winning"

"Huh… that makes sense" said Sokka, nodding "But… do you think I can't take her on if she's at her best…?"

"No idea, but I'm not taking chances" said Azula "If this is how this sponsor works… then we're going to play along with his schemes"

"So you're taking it like this" said Shoji, smiling "I figured it would be the best course of action, really…"

"I appreciate the information you provided, Shoji" said Azula, handing him her acceptance of Kyoshi's Heir's challenge "Your fight against Kyoshi's Heir is to happen a week from now" she told Sokka, who nodded in approval.

"Gotcha" he replied, enthusiastic.

"As for the Savage Hook…" said Azula, looking at the challenge "… it looks like it has a regular bid, and it's set to happen in two weeks. I think we should be able to pull through this"

"The Savage Hook comes all the way from Ba Sing Se" said Shoji, smiling "It's the first time someone from such a far away land would come to fight you, right?"

"So it would seem" said Azula, accepting this challenge as well "With these two fights you should get a large amount of points, Sokka. We had better be past that Bandit by the time we're done with these two fights"

"I'm going to make sure of that" said Sokka, determined "She won't be ahead of us for much longer!"

"Uh, this is pretty nice and all…" said Shoji, taking the acceptance of the Savage Hook's challenge "But there's one thing I think I should tell you about the Savage…"

"Princess!" yelled someone from the Arena's gates, startling the three people at the counter as they turned to look at whoever was calling for Azula.

A royal guard had just opened the main doors so that an old man dressed in elegant but old clothing walked inside, his small eyes wide open as he looked for the Princess. It didn't take long for Azula to realize she had seen this man before…

"Princess! I'm so glad I finally found you…" he said, panting "I looked for you in the Palace, but you weren't there, so…!"

"Cut to the chase" said Azula, frowning as she forgot completely the conversation she had just been involved in "What's going on?"

The man panted before reincorporating himself to finally state the business that had brought him before Azula.

"It's… it's lady Mai, Princess! She's… she's in labor!"


	25. Chapter 25

Zuko raised an eyebrow when he spotted a servant running down the Palace's open halls, as if he were searching for someone desperately. He wasn't a Palace servant, that much was in evidence because of the old-fashioned robes he was wearing. Zuko's expression turned into a frown when the man stopped running, looking around him in anguish. The Prince stood up and stepped away from the turtle duck pond, the place where he found himself spending most his spare time… which was a lot of time, actually. He hadn't had much to busy himself with ever since he had returned home.

"Are you looking for someone?" he asked, approaching the man. He only noticed he seemed vaguely familiar when he saw him up close.

The servant looked up and smiled at the sight of the scarred prince, who was taken by surprise by the man's joyous attitude.

"Oh, my! If it's the Prince!" he said, smiling "It's been a long time since I last saw you…"

"Uh… sure" said Zuko, frowning. It was clear now that he knew this man… but from where, he couldn't tell.

"I was actually looking for your sister, though. No offense" said the man, when Zuko seemed irritated to realize he was searching for Azula. Everyone wanted to find Azula nowadays… she had always been more popular than him, but it seemed her fame had grown even larger while he had been absent.

"Why should that offend me?" said Zuko, huffing "I don't know where she is, but if you can't find her in the Palace then she must be at the Arena. Why are you looking for her?"

"Oh, it's because Lady Mai is in the middle of childbirth right now…" said the servant, thoughtlessly.

Zuko's eyes opened wide. She was giving birth to her kid right now? Would she be alright? Worry began washing over him immediately, and the look on his face took the servant by surprise.

"You are most welcome to come by to see her as well, Prince Zuko" said the man, smiling reassuringly "She has many maids supporting her and helping her with the labor, but I'm sure she'll be pleased to see her friends, the Fire Lord's children, coming by to congratulate her and meet the baby…"

Zuko snapped out of his concern after the man conveyed his last thoughts.

"W-wait, what? Y-you think she'd want me there?" he asked, in shock "W-why would she…?"

"Well, I was under the impression you were friends… am I wrong?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.

"N-no, well… no" said Zuko, his eyes dropping "We… we are friends"

"Then I'm sure she'll be happy to see you" said the man, beaming "Now, if you excuse me, I must go find the Princess! Farewell, Prince Zuko!"

"Y-yeah…" muttered Zuko, and the servant ran down the Palace halls once more, now headed towards the main gates.

Zuko frowned and paced in the garden for a moment, troubled. He wanted to go see Mai, to make sure she would make it safely through birthing… but he was sure she wouldn't be pleased to see him show up uninvited… Or would she? At this point, he truly had no idea. But he was certain he would feel completely out of place if he caught sight of Mai and her husband holding their firstborn…

The mere thought made him clench his fists. He should have been the one she had married… he should be the father of the child she was delivering into the world right now. But he wasn't, and he'd do best to face that. He should just skip over the awkwardness and not go…

… But his feet were carrying him towards her house before he knew it. He kept beating himself up for what he was doing, his mind telling him one thing while his heart said the entire opposite, and for reasons unknown, he was following his heart instead. He ought to stop walking and turn around, head back to the pond… but he couldn't stop himself. His little self-control was truly shameful…

"Prince Zuko!" said a Royal Guard, surprised to see him out and about "W-where might you be headed?"

"I, uh…" Zuko mumbled, unable to find a way to explain his actions

"Wherever you're going, you shouldn't go on foot, Prince" said the guard, shaking his head disapprovingly

"I'm not going too far…" he said, lowering his eyes "Just… M-Mai's house"

"Lady Mai has moved from her family's house, sir" said the guard "She's a few blocks away from here… please, sir, take a palanquin!"

Zuko didn't seem too willing to follow fit with the man's request. He didn't see why he had to take a palanquin… he doubted Fire Lord Ozai would be displeased to hear he had gone somewhere on foot. The guard really had no need to push him into the opulent ride if he didn't want to take it…

But he didn't know where Mai lived now. So, truth to be told, the palanquin didn't sound like such a bad idea.

It started to feel like a bad idea once he was being carried away by a group of slaves. For some reason he felt like an utter fool… probably because he found this to be a stupid activity. Being carried around made it seem as if he were unable to walk on his own. And this was something reserved for important people. He didn't feel too important nowadays. Regardless, he had already climbed on, so he had to endure the ride for as long as it lasted. He would run back home as soon as he had made sure Mai and her child were fine…

Zuko wasn't the only person to arrive to Mai's doorstep. He climbed off the palanquin and spotted a carriage parked right in front of where his vehicle had halted. He was surprised to find Ty Lee waiting eagerly for the door to open, looking quite nervous. She turned to look at him when she realized the person on the palanquin had climbed off and her eyes opened wide when she saw him.

"Zuko?" she said, blinking a few times "Gee… I wasn't expecting you to come!"

"Y-you mean I'm not welcome…?" he muttered, as gloomy as ever. Ty Lee rolled her eyes but smiled at him, pleased to know she wouldn't be alone as she waited for news about Mai.

"You know, Azula is right. You could stop being so dramatic" she said "Nobody said you weren't welcome, I just didn't know you'd come by to see Mai"

"I figured… I just figured I would…" he muttered, as the house's gate was opened by another servant, the twin of the man Zuko had seen at the Palace.

"Lady Ty Lee, it's good to see you! Oh, and… Prince Zuko? That's unexpected!"

Zuko couldn't help but scowl at the man's surprise. He couldn't help but glare at everyone's surprise. Was it that unbelievable that he would be worried enough about Mai to drop by when she was giving birth?!

"Come inside, come inside! She's still in labor, so you'll have to wait to see her once she's done…" said the man, stepping away from the door and allowing them room to enter the house.

Zuko turned towards the palanquin before heading inside.

"Go back to the Palace, please" he said "I'll find my way back on my own"

"Or I can give you a ride if you want" suggested Ty Lee, smiling.

"Whatever, just… go" said Zuko, turning back to the palanquin bearers and dismissing them effectively now. The men looked disappointed, but they obeyed him without question this time, to Zuko's contentment.

He entered the house behind Ty Lee and they were led by the servant to an empty living room right across the room where Mai was currently at, according to the man's word. Zuko felt snakes twisting in his insides as he thought about Mai's safety. He hoped she'd make it through birthing safely…

"Where's Ruon Jian?" asked Ty Lee, when the servant was about to leave.

"Oh, the master has been told about Lady Mai's labor" he said "He was at work, but he should be home any minute now"

"I see" said Ty Lee, smiling thankfully for the information, and the man took her grin as his cue to leave.

"Huh… so her husband's not around?" said Zuko, bitterly. Ty Lee pouted and turned around to glare at him.

"Don't get started with this, please" said Ty Lee "He's a good man. You'll see it for yourself when you meet him!"

"Yeah, yeah…" said Zuko, rolling his eyes "I don't even know why I came here"

"Truth to be told, neither do I" said Ty Lee, sternly. Zuko was surprised by her sudden change of attitude "Zuko… I know this whole situation makes you jealous and angry and all the things you keep talking about, but if you're going to stay here, make everyone a favor and be supportive! This isn't a competition over who would be a better match for Mai!"

"Sure it's not…" he mumbled, allowing himself a sour thought: _Because he already won_

"Zuko…" grunted Ty Lee, and the Prince sighed

"Fine, fine, I'll just shut up and pretend I'm happy! Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" she said, smiling happily now. Zuko felt a hardly bearable urge to get out of the house right away. Dealing with Ty Lee was getting worse by the minute…

A fuss out on the hallway brought him out of his thoughts. Both Zuko and Ty Lee were surprised to hear a couple of voices arguing loudly. Zuko approached the door just when the same servant from before opened it, looking slightly troubled.

"Please, w-wait here…" he said to the new arrivals… whose identities Zuko guessed correctly on the first go.

"You… are… HEARTLESS!" Sokka squealed, bending over himself as he panted by the door.

Azula entered the room, rolling her eyes as she walked inside, hardly even realizing her friend and her brother were in the chamber as well.

"You're supposed to have a lot more stamina than that, aren't you?" she replied, her arms folded over her chest as she turned around to look at Sokka. His legs were shaking as he walked inside, collapsing on the nearest chair.

"And you're… not supposed… to have me run… after you… like that…" he said, gasping for breath, his black-and-blue armor rising with his chest as he breathed.

Zuko and Ty Lee looked from one to the other, utterly confused.

"Uh… what's going on…?" asked Ty Lee, smiling uncomfortably.

"Huh… you were here?" asked Azula "You and… Zuko?"

The Prince only glared at his sister, his irritation growing further. Why did everyone find it unbelievable for him to come see Mai?

"Yeah, me" he said "What of it?"

"I'm impressed. I didn't think you'd have the guts to come" said Azula, smirking slightly, annoying him further "What do you know about her situation?"

"Well… nothing, really" said Ty Lee, looking nervous "She's on the room across ours, from what we were told… but no idea how long she's been in there, or how she's progressed…"

"Huh…" said Azula, clearly concerned but not willing to show her soft side to so many people at once.

"What did you do to him?" asked Zuko, jerking his head towards Sokka, who was still breathless.

"Oh, nothing of importance. He's just making a fuss out of everything, as ever" said Azula, shrugging.

"Y-yeah, right!" said Sokka, resting his weight on his knees as he glared at his sponsor from his chair "She told her palanquin bearers to… to go at full speed. And I had to chase after them… with all my weapons… and my armor… all across town!"

"Gee…" said Ty Lee, wincing "The Arena really is at the other end of the city… and you came running all the way?"

"And so did the palanquin bearers, yet they didn't complain" said Azula, shrugging

"You know… I wish one of them had tripped… so you'd have fallen on your royal ass…" said Sokka viciously, making Azula chuckle and smirk at him.

"I just hope you know that your resentment is like music to my ears" she said, looking down on him as usual. Sokka couldn't help but scowl at her, still angry.

"You two will never change" said Ty Lee, giggling slightly

Zuko raised an eyebrow at Azula's attitude towards Sokka. She behaved like this with people on her same standing, not with slaves. Even after Ty Lee had explained to him the strange circumstances that had joined the two of them, he couldn't make heads or tails of why they seemed to be friendly rivals instead of bitter enemies…

"Where's Ruon Jian? Is he with her?" asked Azula

"No, he was at work" Ty Lee replied "Apparently he's on his way, but we don't know much about that either…"

"You two just don't know anything, do you?" asked Azula, looking at Ty Lee and Zuko disapprovingly.

"Well, how about you go find more stuff out, since we're so useless?" said Zuko, rolling his eyes

"Why, that's an astounding progress! I can hardly believe you've finally acknowledged it" said Azula, her eyes gaining a vicious quality as she irked her brother further.

Zuko was amazed by his self-control this time. Before he had lacked any willpower, now he was using all of it to stop himself from attacking his sister. In all the time they had been apart, the sole thing about her that had changed had been her sharp tongue, which had grown quicker with every day that went by.

"I don't think anyone can ask anything anyway" said Ty Lee, shrugging. Azula frowned at the amount of words with 'any' that she used in a single sentence "We can't do anything but wait to hear how it goes when it ends…"

Sokka sat up after he finally felt he had regained his breath and he looked out through the open door, staring at the room where Mai was supposed to be at. He couldn't hear a sound coming out of it.

"You're sure the girl's in labor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow "Back when I was in my Tribe and women gave birth they screamed a lot… I mean, I know this girl is all doom-and-gloom, but I don't think she'd be able to put up with such pain without making a sound…"

"Well, we're making a lot of noise" said Ty Lee, shrugging "Maybe she's complaining and you can't hear her"

"Or maybe it's over already" suggested Azula

"Or something went wrong…" Zuko muttered, worried.

"Why, always the mood killer, aren't you?" said Azula, glaring at him. Ty Lee grew pale after Zuko's statement, worried.

"No need to worry…" said Sokka, standing up from his chair "Girls are tougher than they look. Believe me, I've seen many of them give birth and come out of it perfectly fine! And that was down at the Pole, so up here it should go just fine! You guys have better technologies and medical development, don't you?"

"Uh… we do?" asked Ty Lee, clueless

"We're supposed to, at the very least" said Azula, frowning "You should be right. So, please, stop trying to make these two morons panic"

"Hey, I wasn't trying to make them panic!" said Sokka, pouting "I was just stating facts! I mean, I've heard that giving birth is as painful for women as a kick in the nuts for a man… so I just figured you'd have to be incredibly tough not to scream with that!"

"Ah, well, Zuko wouldn't know of such toughness, would he?" said Azula, smirking. Zuko grew pale and moved away from his sister, recalling a few moments of his childhood he wished he could cast away from his memories.

"Huh?" said Sokka, grimacing "You mean…"

"When we were kids he would always rat me out whenever I did something out of bounds" said Azula, staring at her nails "So at times I would take my revenge by kicking him where it hurt him most…"

"Y-you even burned a hole in my pants once…" said Zuko, grimacing as he recalled how her foot, clad in fire, had struck him in his most delicate zone.

"Indeed… you had to jump in the turtle duck pond to put it out" said Azula, with a smile on her face "Ah, the old days…"

"The old days I wish I could forget" her brother replied bitterly, still glaring at her.

"You're a fearsome force to reckon with, I'll give you that…" said Sokka, grimacing. In his dream she had been considerably kind to his assets… but after hearing this, he doubted she would be kind to anyone's assets. And if she ever found out about his dream, she would end up kicking him just as she had kicked her brother in the past… perhaps with lightning instead of fire so that he would suffer even more for being so insolent.

"Watch out for her" Zuko warned him, surprising Sokka "If you get her mad, she'll make you regret it…"

"Yeah, well… I already have some experience in that regard" said Sokka, looking at the ceiling with feigned interest. Azula raised an eyebrow towards him inquisitively, but before Zuko got the chance to ask Sokka about the revenges his sister had taken on him, they heard the heavy footsteps of someone who was walking down the hall.

"Is she still inside…?! How is she? What do you know?!" they heard a man's frantic voice as the servant tried to cool him down.

The four people within the room grew quiet for a moment until the desperate man came into sight. He was breathing heavily, his eyes slightly out of orbit. His hair was tied in a high knot, but a few locks had fallen out of the knot, accentuating his anxiety.

"Please, wait in here, master Ruon…" said the servant, bowing down as the man walked inside the waiting room, his hands going up to his hair in signal of distress.

Ruon Jian took a moment to realize he wasn't the only one within the room. He jumped when he caught sight of the other four people, two women he was familiar with and two men he didn't recall having met in his life.

"Princess! Ty Lee!" he gasped "I… I'm really glad you came…"

"We're here to support both of you" said Ty Lee, patting him on the shoulder

"And I appreciate that far more than I can express…" replied Ruon Jian, with a shy smile.

"So… what did the servant say?" asked Ty Lee.

"He says she's been inside for a few hours now, that she should be done soon…" said Ruon Jian, anxious "Got to say I'm not sure if I'm glad she's still in there or not… I didn't want to be late, but I thought she might be done by now…"

"These things take time, don't worry" said Ty Lee, smiling kindly "But… why were you at work today? Didn't you think the child would be due soon…?"

"Oh, I did" said Ruon Jian, grimacing "But the baby came in sooner than we expected it. Mai's water wasn't supposed to break in three more days… this took us all by surprise"

"Yeah, tell us about it" said Ty Lee, chuckling

"I had taken the next days off from work" said Ruon Jian, sighing "I wanted to be around when the baby came… but yeah, this had to happen on the one day I didn't take off"

"Seems like your fortune is quite crappy, huh?" asked Sokka, his hands behind his head.

Ruon Jian looked at him, surprised by his fighter getup. Regardless, he performed a bow towards him, making Sokka stare at him, confused.

"Uh… huh?" Sokka mumbled

"I suppose you must be Princess Azula's gladiator" said Ruon Jian, smiling weakly "Mai mentioned you once when we were talking… it's nice to meet you"

"Oh, uh, nice to meet you too" said Sokka, tilting his head down curtly.

Ruon Jian turned towards the other man in the room now, and he found Zuko's harsh glare on him. The other three felt slightly wary of the showdown that seemed to be about to happen and they looked nervously from one to the other.

"So… I suppose you must be Zuko" said Ruon Jian, smiling a little "Prince Zuko… I'm glad to see you've returned to the Fire Nation safely"

Ruon Jian bowed down in the same way he had bowed before Sokka, though Zuko didn't seem inclined to return the favor.

"T-thanks…" he muttered, as Ruon Jian lifted his head again.

"I'm glad to meet you at last" he said "Mai spoke often about you"

Zuko was surprised by this statement, his shock evident in his wide eyes.

"Why would Mai have…?"

"She used to reject me by saying she had someone else in her life" said Ruon Jian, smiling painfully as he looked back on those times "She always thought fondly of you… I'm sure she still does. She told me about your friendship with her, and I was really glad she had a good friend in both the Prince and the Princess when she was younger. I'm really grateful to know that you were in her life"

_But I'm not anymore _thought Zuko, his eyes falling after hearing those words. He hated to think this way… but Ruon Jian had won. Mai belonged to him. He had been in her life… and now he wasn't. This man had taken his place, and he had no choice but to accept it and move on.

"Yeah…" he muttered, nodding "Sure…"

Ruon Jian was taken aback by Zuko's response, not sure what else to say now that he had seen how troubled the Prince seemed to be by the conversation. Azula cleared her throat, interrupting the awkward moment.

"I don't remember if I've asked Mai about this…" she said, surprising Ruon Jian "But… what names do you have in mind for the kid?"

Sokka frowned and eyed her with uncertainty at her question. It didn't take him too long to realize she had asked it merely to spare them from the bothersome situation between both men. It might have been only for her own gain, but she had pretty much saved them all…

"Oh, uh… for a girl we had agreed on Jiao, and for a boy we thought about Yuudai" said Ruon Jian, smiling nervously "I wonder what it might be…"

"What would you like better?" asked Ty Lee, beaming

"I… I really don't know" said Ruon Jian, his smile widening "As long as Mai delivers the baby safely, I don't really care what it might be. I'll love it no matter what"

Ty Lee sighed and stared at the ceiling dreamily, probably thinking about how wonderful it would be to have a husband like that. Zuko looked at Ruon Jian, uneasy. It irritated him to think that he seemed to be so in love with Mai… was there no way he could compete with this guy?

But their inner musings were interrupted when an older woman showed up at the door, a smile on her face: one of Mai's assistants during her labor. The group faced her, eager to hear what the outcome of the birth had been.

"Everything went perfectly fine" said the woman, smiling.

Ruon Jian looked like he could have fainted of relief. He released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and he beamed, looking at the servant with shiny eyes.

"So…? She's fine? And the baby…?"

"Lady Mai is resting right now" said the woman "And the baby… well, it's a wonderful baby boy!"

"A boy!" said Ruon Jian, looking at the others with enthusiasm "I'm the father of a boy! I…! Oh, I'm a… I'm a father!" he declared, as if the realization had only hit him right then and there.

"Congratulations!" said Ty Lee, clapping happily. Azula and Sokka were smiling as well, glad to know everything had gone smoothly. Zuko seemed relieved Mai had made it past birthing safely, although he still seemed quite upset regarding the fact that she had given life to a child that wasn't his.

"I think three of you could come in to see them…" said the woman "But please be very calm and gentle. The baby is a newborn and Lady Mai is very tired…"

"We will be" said Ruon Jian, smiling "Okay, then… who's coming?"

There hadn't been much of a need to ask that. Zuko looked reluctant and Sokka felt completely out of place, seeing how he was the one who had the least to do with Mai, so Azula and Ty Lee followed Ruon Jian into the room across the hall.

Mai looked quite tired indeed. The group of servants who had helped her deliver her baby had taken care of cleaning up the room to the best of their ability, so there was little trace of the blood and fluids spilled during birthing. She was holding a bundle of mantles in her arms and she was smiling kindly at it. She looked up when she realized more people had entered the room.

Ruon Jian smiled brightly at the sight of his wife and child, tears stinging his eyes. Mai was used to him being unexpectedly emotional at times, so she only chuckled slightly at the sight and showed him the baby. Ruon Jian walked to her side, to look closely at the tiny child in Mai's arms.

"You're both okay… you're both okay" he said, dropping on his knees next to her. It seemed like the smile on his face would never vanish.

"And you made it…" said Mai, smiling back at him "I was so afraid you wouldn't be here in time…"

"I was so afraid of that too!" said Ruon Jian eagerly, making Mai smile even further "I'm sorry… I… I just can't believe… it's our son. You're holding… our Yuudai"

"Yeah…" said Mai, smiling at the baby "Our Yuudai"

Ty Lee couldn't hold back the tears as she looked at the wonderful family. Even Azula found herself moved by the scene, thinking that little boy would most definitely have the best parents anyone could have asked for…

Meanwhile, across the hall…

Sokka eyed Zuko with uncertainty, still unsure of what to think of him. It was the first time they were alone in the same room, so… maybe it was time to get to know Azula's brother better? Zuko didn't seem too willing to start up a conversation, seeing how he still looked quite depressed… so it would be up to the Blue Wolf to do it.

"So… a baby, huh?" he said, looking up at the ceiling as he paced around the room carelessly.

"Yeah… a baby" muttered Zuko, sighing "What of it?"

"I dunno" said Sokka, shrugging "Honestly, I have no clue what to do to start a conversation with you, so I just… went for the obvious! And you see, it's working, so I did a good job"

Zuko raised an eyebrow, in complete disagreement, but he folded his arms over his chest while looking at Sokka with inquisitive eyes.

"Why do you want to start a conversation anyway?"

"It'll be boring to stay in here without anything to do, you know?" said Sokka "The first thing that came to my mind was talking, so just go with it, will you?"

Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes at the Water Tribe man.

"Sure" he muttered

"Now… I'm pretty sure we started out on the wrong foot" said Sokka, chuckling and extending his hand towards Zuko "Let's try and fix that, shall we?"

Zuko didn't seem too willing to fix anything, but he decided to comply. He was more interested in this slave than he dared admit… mostly because his sister seemed to get along so well with him. It made him quite curious to discover what kind of man he was…

"Fine…" he muttered, shaking Sokka's hand.

"I'm Sokka"

"Uh… Zuko" the Prince felt like an utter fool. He knew this guy's name already, and the guy knew his as well! So why couldn't he spare him the pointless nonsense…?

"Pleased to make your acquaintance for the second time" said Sokka, beaming.

"Right" said Zuko "You're my sister's gladiator, then…"

"Yeah, I am…" said Sokka, his eyes going down to the floor for a second. Zuko raised an eyebrow when he thought he saw fondness in them… why did this guy seem so comfortable around Azula? What sort of deranged masochist was he?

"Can I ask how exactly that happened?" asked Zuko "Ty Lee tried to explain it to me, but she didn't know all the details…"

"Oh…" said Sokka, blinking a few times as he came back to reality. His mind had been filling up with images of Azula before he could stop himself "Well, it happened pretty much because we struck a deal… she wants me to become the top gladiator in the Superior Gladiator League, and I want to go back home, so once I beat everyone and become Number One, she'll let me return. That's the agreement we reached"

"Huh, so that's it" said Zuko, looking a little relieved "Well, now it makes more sense. You're just being used by her… now it's not as weird as it seemed before"

Sokka's eyes opened wide at Zuko's words. He was just being used by Azula… He had kept telling that to himself during the whole day, but he hadn't quite believed it… until he had heard it come from someone else.

"Yeah… I suppose that's it" said Sokka "B-but I'm using her too! That makes us even!"

"True…" said Zuko "It's unusual for my sister to go with someone else's conditions. Either she's gotten bland or you're way wittier than I've given you credit for"

"Huh… I'd say it's the latter" said Sokka "She made me run after her palanquin mercilessly… you really think she's softened up?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" said Zuko, shrugging.

They fell silent for a moment before Sokka found another topic he wanted to talk about… something that had been bugging him for a while now.

"Say… I might have no business asking" he started "But I've never really understood why you were banished…"

Zuko's eyes widened at the question as he felt as if an iron hand was squeezing his heart tightly. He didn't look at Sokka as he answered, his voice trembling.

"I… I just… my father was ashamed of me" muttered Zuko "I did something… something I shouldn't have done. So he took my honor from me by banishing me, and he wouldn't restore my honor unless I brought the Avatar before him…"

Sokka frowned at those last words. If Zuko was back in the Fire Nation, it meant he wasn't banished anymore…

"Then… you mean you found the Avatar?" he asked, shocked.

"No, I… I spent ten years searching for him. It was no use" said Zuko "I'm only back because my Uncle managed to convince my father to let me return…"

"Huh…" said Sokka, slightly relieved. He had no idea what the Avatar's fate had been, but he didn't think it would be any good for the world if the Fire Nation found him. Despite how used he was becoming to his life as a gladiator, he still hoped, deep down, that the world would change for the better someday. And the Avatar had always been the main hope for that change to occur…

"Anyway…" muttered Zuko, uncomfortable by the subject "Are you sure of what you're doing?"

"W-what do you mean?" asked Sokka, blinking blankly

"I mean, working with my sister like that" Zuko replied "It might end much worse than you can imagine. She's always a step ahead of everyone else, and her goals… well, they're all that matter to her. You might have signed up for something beyond your control…"

"I probably did" said Sokka, shrugging and smiling a little "But so far it hasn't been much trouble. Truth to be told, your sister isn't as bad as you think she is… and I suppose you're not as bad as she thinks you are either. It's just… sibling rivalry. You guys seem to bring it to a whole new level, I won't deny it, but yeah… I think that's most of what there is to it"

"Y-you don't understand" said Zuko, shaking his head "I don't think anyone would…"

"If someone understands, it's me" stated Sokka, chuckling "I have a sister too. She's about Azula's age. She was quite a jerk to me very often… there was this one time when I needed her to save me from some rabid tiger-seal, but instead of doing it, she just laughed at my misery. So, you see, I get it"

Zuko had seen tiger-seals when he had been traveling by the South Pole and he didn't recall them being rabid creatures… but he didn't see why Sokka would lie about this, so he decided to trust his judgment.

"So you know what it's like to have a crazy sister" said Zuko "I guess we have a few things in common, then…"

"Seems like we do" said Sokka, smiling a little.

"So… you were on a fight?" asked Zuko, eyeing Sokka's outfit "Did you win?"

"Sure did" Sokka replied proudly, folding his arms over his chest "It was a piece of cake, and the guy was quite higher than me on the ranking… but I kicked his butt anyway!"

"Huh… good for you" said Zuko, still slightly disgusted by the gladiator business in itself.

"You don't seem too enthusiastic about this…" said Sokka, eyeing him with surprise.

"I'm not a big fan of the Gladiator madness everyone else seems to thrive about" said Zuko, shrugging "I don't get it, really… even my uncle is into it. It's weird"

Sokka winced at the mention of Zuko's uncle, recalling how he had fought against the man's current gladiator.

"Well, he's pretty new in it" said Sokka, shrugging "He might get bored and dump it… hopefully"

"Hopefully?" repeated Zuko, confused "Why are you hopeful about that? Have you already met my uncle…?"

"Yeah, once…" said Sokka, gulping "He's an odd fellow… though his gladiator is way weirder than him"

"No kidding" said Zuko, sighing. He hadn't gotten along much better with the earthbender. Her jabs towards him made him think of her as a younger, nastier and ill-mannered Azula.

"You remember back when we first met?" asked Sokka "You recall how I was on those crutches…?"

"Yeah, I do"

"Well… Toph was the one who put me in them" replied Sokka, bitterly

Zuko's eyes widened in surprise.

"She…? Toph did? How could she…?"

"Beats me" said Sokka, shrugging "The girl's a menace. I'm already dreading the day when we face on the Arena again…"

"But… she looked like she was more bark than bite" said Zuko

"Why don't you fight her one-on-one and come back to me then?" asked Sokka, pouting

"I'm just saying… she's slender and short. She's probably a good bender, but is she really that great…? Maybe you're the one who's not cut out to fight her…"

"Oh, you think so, do you?" asked Sokka, offended "Go fight her, Zuko! I really want to see how much better you can do!"

"You'll probably be really disappointed with yourself if that happens…" said Zuko, smirking a little "I doubt I'd lose against her in a fight"

"Oh, sure you wouldn't" said Sokka, staring at Zuko in disbelief "You're really conceited, aren't you?"

"Conceited?" asked Zuko, his confidence transforming into irritation "What makes you say that?"

"From what I've heard, Zuko… you're the one who's a lot more bark than bite" said Sokka, smirking slightly

"Huh?! Oh, sure, if you hear it from Azula…"

"When did I say it had been Azula who had told me that?" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow. It had been her, of course, but it would be a lot more fun to tease Zuko making him think otherwise…

"Then who was it?" asked Zuko, frowning

"Piandao himself, actually" said Sokka, his smirk growing "He told me I was the worthiest man he had ever trained… still, didn't he train you too? Oh, boy. I suppose that's proof that you're more talk than anything… if the master spoke like that, then you wouldn't be better than me, clearly"

"How would you know that?" grunted Zuko "Piandao trained me when I was just a kid!"

"Well, let's just look at the full picture. I'm a master of jian swords" said Sokka, proudly "According to what I've heard, mastering dao swords only takes a week, yet mastering jian swords takes a year… and, according to Piandao himself, I mastered the jian in less than three months. What does that say about my amazing skills, huh? And what does that say about you, who had to master dao swords because they were the only thing suitable for you…?"

"D-dao swords aren't that easy to master, I'll have you know!" he shouted, glaring at Sokka

Sokka couldn't help but laugh with disbelief, shaking his head

"Yeah, sure…" he said, staring at Zuko with teasing and cruel eyes. Zuko grimaced when he realized the expression on the gladiator's face seemed a copy of Azula's trademark mocking façade when dealing with him.

"You seem to forget, I'm a firebender too" said Zuko "I can use swords and bend fire at the same time!

"Oh, really?" asked Sokka, chuckling "I seem to recall Azula said your basic firebending wouldn't impress her… you think it'll impress me?"

"You… you're just trying to get to my bad side" said Zuko, his eyes ablaze with fury.

"Oh, no, I'm just proving you give yourself way too much credit" said Sokka, shrugging "But, truth to be told, we won't get around figuring out if you're that tough or not… unless we cross blades and find out by ourselves, don't you think?"

"You're… you're challenging me?" asked Zuko, clenching his fists "I… I don't have any weapons with me…"

"Excuses, excuses…" said Sokka, rolling his eyes, and Zuko seemed to grow even more furious.

"Well, FINE! I'll find some dao swords! We'll see who Piandao's best student is now!"

"Oooooh, I'm trembling with fear!" said Sokka, as Zuko stormed out of the room. Sokka chuckled for a moment, feeling proud of his achievement of irking Zuko… before realizing the Prince had actually left the room to find dao swords.

He grimaced when he realized he had taken his silly spat with him way too far and he bolted down the hall quickly, not sure where Zuko might have gone to. He didn't want to fight that badly… he couldn't deny he was curious about who was actually stronger, but having a combat right after he had been worn out chasing a palanquin seemed a downright bad idea.

Sokka found Zuko in the house's dining room, and he was just about to request to postpone their fight when he realized the Prince had found some twin dao blades placed as an ornament on the wall. He picked them up and turned to face Sokka, who grimaced again.

"Okay, Zuko, how about we think this through…?"

"Oh, so now you want to think, huh?" asked Zuko, aiming the swords at Sokka "Sounds like you've realized your sword is no match for mine…"

Sokka could take insults to himself, but to hear someone diminish Space Sword's worth like this made his blood boil. He snarled and he released his black sword from its scabbard, aiming it at Zuko.

"You're about to see otherwise, Prince Zuzu…" said Sokka, recalling how Azula had nicknamed him on their previous encounter.

Zuko's rage was only fueled further when Sokka called him that. He jumped forth with a scream, his swords in tow, and he slammed them down on his opponent, in hopes to strike such a powerful blow that Sokka would be forced to give up right away.

To Zuko's dismay, Sokka managed to stop both his swords and he ducked. Zuko's momentum had him fly over him and perform a barrel roll on the floor before jumping back to his feet, still clenching the swords tightly. Sokka was the one to attack this time, moving his body smoothly to avoid getting struck by the dao swords. His common sense told him that Zuko would likely have the upper hand, since he was wielding two blades instead of one… so he had to be very careful when moving around him and evading his blows, so that he could deliver his own whenever he found an opening in the Prince's form.

Zuko couldn't believe his opponent was proving to be such a skillful and sneaky fighter. He would have never thought Sokka was this strong… He kept slipping out of reach with such ease and delivering such efficient attacks that he suddenly didn't have such difficulties believing that Piandao had considered him as worthy as he had. They continued exchanging and parrying blows for a while before Sokka almost managed to stab Zuko in the chest. The Prince jumped back right on time and swung his swords in Sokka's direction, sending fire his way.

"Hey! That's cheating!" yelled Sokka, shaking the fire away with Space Sword… and it faded much quicker than he had expected it to "Huh? Gee, your fire's way weaker than Azula's!"

Sokka hadn't needed to annoy Zuko further… but that last sentence was enough for Zuko to lunge at him, a killer intent in his eyes. Sokka jumped back, crossing the threshold of the dining room and reaching the hallway as he tried to keep Zuko from burning and slicing him up. Zuko's fury made him far deadlier, but it also blinded him… and Sokka knew he could use that rage to his advantage once Zuko had burned down most of his sudden energy outburst. Sokka continued studying his rival's moves, realizing Zuko was quite skilled with the dao blades, but he would prove himself superior soon enough…

Azula frowned when she caught notice of the sounds in the hall. Ty Lee was too busy fawning over the baby, and Mai was too worn out to pay attention to anything but Yuudai… but Ruon Jian also seemed to notice there was something odd going on.

"What's…?" he asked, moving as if to head to the door, but Azula raised a hand, stopping him on his tracks.

The Princess walked to the door and she swung it open… just in time to see her gladiator jumping back to avoid a fire blast, which he turned out by waving his sword at it. Sokka continued walking backwards, his eyes set on the other end of the hallway, from where Zuko was running down to meet him, with the dual dao swords in his hands and a furious look on his face, his mind set on striking Sokka down…

He was so focused on Sokka he didn't notice the moment in which his sister slipped out of the room she had been in. She ducked and struck Zuko's legs with her feet, tripping him and sending him flying headfirst through the hallway. The scarred man lay on the floor now, his head throbbing horribly after taking a hard blow to the head when he landed.

Sokka watched Zuko's parabolic flight with a shocked look on his face. He hadn't expected his sponsor to help him out to solve his issue with the Prince.

"Hey, thanks! He was getting a bit too hysterical…" said Sokka, chuckling and smiling thankfully at Azula. He missed the fact that she seemed nearly as mad as her brother as she stomped all the way to where he was and struck him on the head with a powerful punch, her knuckles digging into his skull painfully.

Sokka collapsed after her fist collided with his head, feeling a pulsating pain on his now swollen head. Only now he realized how irked Azula seemed to be as she glared at him, enraged

"What the hell is the matter with the two of you?! How stupid can you both get?!" she yelled, looking from one to the other.

Zuko lifted his head with difficulty, only figuring now that the one responsible for his sudden collapse had been Azula herself.

"What did you think you were doing, sword fighting in someone's house?!" she yelled "Don't you know anything about manners?! What the hell could lead you fools to do something like that?!"

"I… I didn't mean…" Sokka mumbled

"Just shut up!" Azula screamed "I don't want to hear it, you moron! Don't you realize someone just delivered a baby into the world?! They need peace and quiet for now! So how about you behave like a human being for once instead of being the uncontrollable savage you always act like?!"

Sokka had dealt with an angry Azula before, but this time he didn't feel like countering her words. He felt more like a kid who was being nagged by his mother. Zuko grimaced at what she had said, realizing how stupid he had been by behaving as he had, bending and swinging the swords around. What if something had caught fire? It could have been catastrophic…

Ty Lee and Ruon Jian peeked out into the hall to find Azula glaring down disapprovingly at both men, her hands on her hips.

"You're both such idiots…" she said, rolling her eyes before turning towards Ruon Jian "I'm sorry about this mess. If they broke anything, just send a notice and I'll make sure to replace…"

"No, no need" said Ruon Jian, smiling and shrugging the matter off "You don't have to pay for anything, Princess…" it seemed that becoming a father had turned his mood impervious to any disgraces for now.

"In any case…" said Azula, glaring at Sokka again, who looked at her with fearsome eyes, hoping her fury would subside soon "I think I'll take my leave now. My savage-… gladiator has proved he's as socially inept as my brother. Keeping these two idiots in the same room promises there won't be a house left by the time the day ends"

Sokka wanted to drop at her feet and beg for her forgiveness, but she was clearly too displeased at the moment to forgive him. Zuko wanted to defend himself, to say he wasn't socially inept… until he realized he had been close to setting a house on fire and had been using ornaments to fight another social inept. He sighed and dropped his head on the floor again, lacking any arguments to defend himself.

"Okay, then" said Ruon Jian, smiling at Azula "Thanks for dropping by. It meant a lot"

"I'll come by to see the little boy again on another day" said Azula "Whenever the idiot I have take care of learns how to behave, I suppose"

The Princess walked into the room and said her farewells to Mai, congratulating her once again. Ruon Jian and Ty Lee were left staring at Zuko and Sokka, both of whom seemed to be about to grow a second head after the blows they had received.

"Let's go, then" said Azula, storming out of the room and grabbing Sokka by the ear, pulling him up and dragging him down the hall. Sokka whimpered but didn't complain, feeling dumber with every second that went by. He waved at Ty Lee and Ruon Jian before looking down at Zuko, who was starting to sit up.

"Hey…" he mumbled, and Zuko glared at him as he got pulled away by Azula "We didn't get to settle this, but you can see for yourself how strong I am if you come see me fight in the Arena! I have a match a week from now! Come by and see me fight!"

"Shut up and keep moving!" Azula commanded, as they headed towards the main door of the building, getting blocked out of sight when they took a corner.

Zuko sighed and looked down to the floor, feeling even more foolish than before. He really needed to control his temper better…

"Uh…" said Ruon Jian, behind him. Zuko turned around and stood up, his head still throbbing, and he bowed down, his eyes shut as he apologized

"I'm sorry… I was completely out of control. I shouldn't have done that…"

Ruon Jian was surprised, but he managed to smile despite being impressed as he was.

"It's no big deal. Nothing bad happened in the end, right?" he said, grinning "Now… could you let me get those back to their rightful place…?"

"Oh, right!" said Zuko, handing the swords over to Ruon Jian, who gave him another smile before heading down the hall towards the dining room.

Ty Lee eyed Zuko with amusement, something that irritated him slightly.

"W-what…?"

"Men… you're all crazy" she said, chuckling

"Y-you're one to talk…" muttered Zuko, blushing slightly.

"Say… that proposal from Sokka sounded quite interesting!" said Ty Lee, smiling "How about you actually go see his fight? You've never been to the Arena, have you?"

"No… and I don't want to go" said Zuko, his hands on his pockets.

"Oh, come on, don't be so depressing! You know what? I'll go with you!" she said enthusiastically, smiling at him.

Zuko didn't seem to think it was such a great idea, but Ty Lee's happy-go-lucky attitude knew no restraints. Giving in now would be a lot easier than fighting back, especially when he didn't feel like fighting back against anything else in his entire life, not after this incident with Sokka…

"I… I guess it wouldn't kill me to do it" he muttered

"Yay!" she squealed happily, beaming at him "But for now… how about you come meet Yuudai?"

"Yuudai…" Zuko repeated, the foreign name rolling off his mouth.

Ty Lee smiled and ushered him to enter the room. He obeyed, walking into it with his head down. But he lifted it again when he caught sight of Mai holding the baby, a very unusual smile on her face. She looked at him and beamed, showing him the face of her sleeping child. Zuko was amazed… both by how cute the baby was and by the way he had managed to fall asleep despite the fuss right outside.

Zuko took a few steps ahead, kneeling by Mai's side before he knew what he was doing.

"Hey" she said "I'm glad you came"

Zuko was surprised by that statement, but it was all he had needed to hear to leave behind his previous foolishness. A smile spread over his face as well as he looked down at the baby again.

"He's beautiful. I'm sure… I'm sure the two of you will be great parents"

Mai smiled and caressed the baby's chubby cheek. Zuko couldn't help but be amazed at the sight. It suddenly didn't matter if the kid on her hands wasn't his child as well…because this was the first time he had seen Mai so happy. And that was the one thing that truly mattered.

Instead of treading behind the palanquin, as usual, Azula had forced Sokka to walk in front of the Royal Procession as punishment, making it so that he had to move quickly if he didn't want the bearers to run him over. The guards walking by the palanquin seemed confused by whatever had prompted Azula to torture her gladiator like this, but they didn't say a word as they watched him panting when he had finally arrived to his house.

Azula climbed down from the palanquin, to everyone's surprise, and walked up to Sokka. He was leaning on the rocky enclosure that stood around his house, his chest heaving after what the Princess had forced him to endure.

"Learned your lesson, Sokka?" she asked, between gritted teeth

"Y-yup… chasing a palanquin… is a lot better than being chased by one…" he replied.

Azula rolled her eyes and shook her head, trying to stop the smile that wanted to form on her face due to his witticism. Sokka laughed slightly and looked at her apologetically after standing straight, rubbing his head with his hand.

"I'm sorry, Azula… Your brother was a bit insulting towards me, so I felt like returning the favor… and before I knew it I had challenged him to see which one of us was tougher. I'm sorry. It was completely uncalled for"

Azula sighed and shook her head, but she seemed satisfied with that.

"So long as you learned that lesson too…"

"Yeah. Don't pick on Zuko. He's Azula's to torture, not mine" he said, managing to make her smile this time.

"Good to know that's the conclusion you reached" she muttered "But I'm still not taking you to anyone's house ever again"

"I think I can live with that" said Sokka, chuckling "Sorry again. Didn't mean to embarrass you or anything…"

"You only embarrassed yourself" she said, and Sokka shrugged, figuring she was right "Well, then… you probably should get something on that bump. It seems I hit you too hard"

"W-what? Is it that noticeable?" asked Sokka, touching it and wincing at the pain.

"The left side of your head looks twice as big as the right…" she muttered, unable to hold back the laughter as he grimaced, realizing she was speaking the truth.

"Well… I asked for it, I'm not going to deny it" he said, chuckling as well.

It was odd for them to laugh together like this, and it didn't take too long for the two of them to notice how unusual the situation was. Azula looked at him with a strange emotion on her eyes, something Sokka couldn't quite recognize. It was something he had never seen her showing beforehand… what exactly was it?

"In any case… go inside and get some rest. You need it" she said, taking a few steps back "We can talk about your training regime on some other day, alright?"

"Oh, yeah" he said, smiling "I think my head aches too much for me to think straight anymore…"

"Well, then…" muttered Azula, looking at him again "I'll be seeing you, Sokka"

"Yeah… see you" the gladiator whispered as the Princess climbed on the palanquin, sneaking one last look at him as she did.

Sokka didn't enter the house yet. He stood watching how the Royal Procession walked down the street, heading back to the city. He stared until he couldn't discern Azula's shape within the palanquin anymore. The dream he had enjoyed last night had turned him into a different man, apparently… and it wasn't good for him to become different, not when it came down to her. Because, as Zuko had reaffirmed, he was only being used by her. It was all she cared about… and why should she care about anything else? She was a Princess… he was a slave. She was Fire Nation, he was Water Tribe. There were a million reasons and more for him to stop acting as he did, reasons to stop him from pursuing what he shouldn't be pursuing… but a heart hardly ever listens to reason.

He sighed and shook his head, feeling even more stupid than before, knowing now that he needed to snap out of this. His current infatuation was, hopefully, something fleeting that would die down soon, something he would learn to ignore in due time… because nothing else could be done about it. He had to come to terms with the fact that the Fire Nation Princess would never fall in love with a man like him.


	26. Chapter 26

The Grand Royal Dome was truly regal, there was no denying it. Zuko was amazed by every detail he spotted. The spotless marble tiles on the floor, the red carpets covering the stairs and the red-and golden-ornaments gave the building a sense of magnificence he hadn't seen anywhere other than in the Royal Palace itself.

Zuko had snuck out of his home clad in dark robes, wearing a hood over his face to cover his features from sight. He figured people would know it was him no matter if he was dressed like this, but he had been right to guess they would leave him alone after spotting him in such a getup. Nobody was too keen on keeping watch on him nowadays: it was one of the sole things that he liked about being dejected by his father. Even the guards that saw him leaving the Palace premises decided to let him be, knowing that, no matter whatever Zuko's business was, he clearly didn't want to be disturbed and they had reasons to disturb him anyway.

He truly didn't know why he had bothered coming all the way to the Grand Royal Dome. Ty Lee had asked him to come by, sure… but why had he gone with it? Why hadn't he just forgotten about her invitation? It probably would have been troublesome to ignore Ty Lee blatantly like that, but it would have spared him of spending a day in the girl's company… but no, he hadn't forgotten about their appointment. He had even been looking forward to it, despite himself. It was the toll he had to pay for not having anything to do in the Palace nowadays.

He detailed the vestibule upon his arrival, eyeing the people that had left the stands after watching the fight between The Light Bearer and The Pyro Tornado, according to what he had seen in the board where the fights of the day had been written down. His eyes kept sliding towards the names of the two gladiators that would star on the combat that was supposed to come next: The Blue Wolf vs. Kyoshi's Heir

His eyes narrowed at the thought of the Water Tribe man who had gotten to his bad side so easily a week ago. He had let himself fall into such a troublesome situation because of him… he had spent most days beating himself up for it even when Mai and Ruon Jian didn't seem to be upset about what had happened. He sighed and shook his head, trying not to think about that matter anymore…

"Zuko?" asked the perky voice that belonged to his companion for the day, who had just arrived at the Dome "Why are you dressed up like that?! This is the Arena, not a covert operation!"

"I wanted to be left alone" he replied, sighing "Wearing clothes like these made it easier for me to get through the guards without having them press a palanquin on me"

"O-oh…" said Ty Lee, blinking repeatedly "Well, that's all good, I suppose! But we have to get moving already! We probably will get some lousy seats…"

With that, she grabbed him by the forearm and dragged him through the vestibule. Zuko had noticed two counters in the entrance hall: one behind which sat a young man who seemed to be in charge of the gladiators and their sponsors, and another one, behind which sat an older and chubbier man who dealt with the bids.

"Didn't you want to go get good seats?" asked Zuko, frowning when Ty Lee stopped before the chubby man's counter "Why aren't we going to the stands right away…?"

"Why, because I have to place my bets!" said Ty Lee, happily "It won't take long, just give me a minute!"

Zuko sighed and stood nearby as he waited for Ty Lee to finish signing up her bet on Sokka. He felt tempted to place a bet on the opposite gladiator merely out of spite, but he decided against it on the long run. He wasn't even carrying that much money with him, and what he had he wouldn't waste on something as pointless as a combat between slaves.

Ty Lee proceeded to drag him up the stairs once she was done placing her bet, and she led him towards a wide golden arch that opened the way towards the stands. Zuko couldn't deny the architecture of the Arena had been thought out really well: the seats were well spaced and placed in different heights, so that everyone would have a clear view of the sand pit below. Zuko gulped as he watched how the Arena's maintenance staff cleaned the ring. Was it a burned hand what that man had just picked up…? He had to hold back the urge to puke when he realized it probably was. What sort of madness had he gotten himself into…? And… whose hand was it, the Light Bearer's or the Pyro Tornado's…?

"Drat! I knew we wouldn't get good seats" Ty Lee whined, looking around with pursed lips "Sokka's fights are so popular nowadays… and if he's fighting a highly ranked gladiator, it was definitely going to get worse…"

"Highly ranked…?" asked Zuko, raising an eyebrow "Does that mean he might lose?"

"He might" said Ty Lee, shrugging "But he's only ever lost once before, so I doubt he'll have such a hard time today. Okay, I think I see an opening over there…"

She led the way towards the back of the stands on the eastern wing of the Arena. Zuko frowned when the only seats they could get were behind a large group of strange people wearing green clothes and some unusual white face paint, holding yellow fans on their hands.

"What on earth…?" he asked "Why are these people dressed like this? Is this a costume competition as well?"

"No, no" said Ty Lee, chuckling "They're supporters! They're people who root for a particular gladiator. If you look closely you can see that, at the other end of the Arena, there are some strange people wearing wolf masks and waving black sword imitations around… well, they're Sokka's admirers"

"So… these people are his opponent's supporters?" asked Zuko, grimacing as he glared at the crowd around him.

"Yeah… So we can't cheer too loudly for Sokka or else we might end up making some enemies over here…" said Ty Lee, giggling nervously

"I hope you don't ask me to blend in with them…" he grunted, looking at the people below with disdain "They're ridiculous. This whole thing is ridiculous. Why did I even bother coming here?!"

"I am starting to wonder the same thing…" muttered Ty Lee, sighing. She wasn't one to give her decisions much thought, she always went by whatever she felt was right… but asking Zuko to spend time with her was never the right thing. This was probably the last time she'd invite him anywhere. Dealing with him was becoming exhausting.

Zuko didn't stop glaring at Kyoshi's Heir's admirers, feeling completely out of place where he was. He wished the damn fight would be done with quickly enough so he could get out of this hellhole…

* * *

"So… did you gather anything else about my opponent?" asked Sokka, stretching in the stand-by room. He looked at his sponsor from the corner of his eye, trying to look at the Princess without her noticing.

"I don't have much information" she admitted as she looked out towards the sand pit. The gleam of the sun was making the sand shine so brightly that it was slightly blinding "Apparently she uses fans to fight…"

"Fans?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow as he turned to face Azula directly "Uh… what type of fans are we talking about? Actual fans to move wind around or crazy fans like the ones in the stands…?"

"How exactly would she fight using other people?" asked Azula, staring at Sokka in disbelief

"I have no idea! Either thing is weird!" declared Sokka, folding his arms across his chest

"Well, it's the former" said Azula, sighing "Not humans, objects"

"Huh… say, how is it that someone who fights with fans has made it so high in the ranking?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "She doesn't sound all that dangerous…"

"We didn't think the Blind Bandit would be dangerous and I don't think you need me to remind you what the outcome of that fight was…"

"Uh… okay, you got me there" said Sokka, scratching his head "So… just fans?"

"She also has a sword, but it seems she doesn't use it unless she has no choice" said Azula "Her blade isn't a jian like yours, it's a katana"

"Katana…?" asked Sokka, frowning "Piandao told me once that those swords were really sharp, but they only have one edge…"

"It sounds like she's a very traditional fighter" said Azula "So don't…"

"Underestimate her, yeah" finished Sokka, nodding. Azula smiled slightly at that. It struck her as odd that someone else would end her sentences, but she didn't find it bothersome if it was him.

"Be careful" she muttered "There's probably no need to remind you that she's really high in the ranking, but keep it in mind anyway. If what Shoji explained to us is true, she probably won't fight to her best… so, please, don't try to be gallant. Use that as an advantage, don't let your edge go to waste"

Sokka chuckled and looked at Azula with inquisitive eyes.

"Why, you don't want me to be gallant, Princess? You should know by now that gallantry is like a second nature to me…"

Azula rolled her eyes and shook her head, her lips curling into a half smile as she did.

"A gallant savage… that's what some people would call a contradiction, you know?"

"Yet you thought I'd try to be gallant… why did you think that, if it's such a contradiction?" he asked, smirking back at her.

Azula couldn't help but laugh slightly, the look on his face resulting too amusing for her to come up with any useful retorts right away.

"You see, I don't really think you have it in you to be gallant. Still, you always end up doing stupid things. And that's pretty much the stupidest thing you could do today"

"You really think so?" asked Sokka, eyeing her with suspicion

"Well, I suppose you could top that if you work hard enough…"

"I wasn't talking about that!" said Sokka, prompting Azula to laugh at him again "I meant, you really think I can't be gallant?"

Azula looked at him, their eyes clashing together for a moment. The usual physical attraction that had always existed between them suddenly caught them both with more strength than ever before as they lost themselves in the other's gaze. Azula was the one to break the strange spell by lowering her head, smiling slightly before walking up to him and patting his shoulder gently.

"Good luck, Sokka" she muttered, leaving the room silently.

Sokka was left staring at the empty spot where she had stood before, his heart beating so fast it felt as if it was about to burst out of his chest. He… he wasn't imagining things, was he? What had happened just now hadn't been a mere moment between a gladiator and a sponsor…

Well… to be fair, there was hardly anything about them that came off as the typical relationship between a gladiator and a sponsor. But before he'd had his dream, he'd only been teasing her, taking advantage of her shyness on a few topics and making fun of her blushing face. Instead, now… now he felt close to losing his mind whenever he was near her. He had to make use of every ounce of his willpower not to blurt out something he would regret, not to take that beautiful face into his hands and bring his lips to hers…

He slammed a fist into the wall, angry at himself. There was a fine line drawn between the limits of daydreaming and reality, yet he kept blurring it in hopes that, by some marvelous chance, the Princess might be daydreaming about him too. But why would she bother thinking about a slave? What was there about him that could catch the eye of a high-class woman like herself?

He wanted to believe there was nothing, truly… but then, why had she looked at him like that? Her eyes had shown him the same emotion from when she had left him at his house after they had visited Mai… and he began growing certain that he wasn't misunderstanding things when they had already happened twice. Perhaps he was right and there was no reason why Azula would be attracted to him… but it didn't mean it was downright impossible. Hell, she had scarred him physically and mentally several times now in over two years, yet he kept holding back the urge to make her his… He shouldn't be attracted to her either, but he was, and there was no use denying it.

Still… for her to be interested in him as well didn't mean he had the right to act upon his feelings. There were more than enough reasons to draw him back, more than enough reasons for Azula to be unwilling to go through with what they were experiencing. Sokka didn't need to have studied the Fire Nation's policies in detail to know that there was no chance that the Princess would be allowed to get involved with a mere peasant, let alone with a slave. And Azula wouldn't break such rules knowingly just because she found him appealing… she was fully loyal to her father, and she wouldn't let herself be swayed by fleeting urges that would end up unleashing a world of grief upon her on the long run. A relationship such as the one that could be built between them was forbidden, and it was doomed to fail in every possible way…

It wasn't easy to accept that he'd never get involved with Azula when his heart ached to be near her… but he had to get over her. It was as simple as that. He couldn't continue on this fool's errand, kidding himself into believing that something real could be born between them. They were enemies, had always been and would always be… it was downright impossible for them to be together. So he'd better grow out of his delusions and find a way out of this absurd obsession he had developed towards Azula…

There had to be a simple solution, something he could use to stabilize himself again. Clearly, just thinking about all the wrongs she had done to him was no use. He had been engaged in that ever since he had that dream, and it had been no use. The solution he resorted to had to be drastic, or at the very least, it had to be a powerful enough distraction to help him to stop thinking about Azula.

He tapped his chin as a sneaky thought crossed into his mind. If he needed a distraction… there was something simple he could do…

He could find another woman.

He was a slave, true enough, but that didn't mean he was such a bad catch. He was handsome, strong and witty… any girl would love that! Sure, it wouldn't be easy to find out who could help him stop thinking about Azula… because the Princess was, truly, the most beautiful girl he had ever met. To find someone who could top that would be downright impossible… but, truth to be told, he didn't need a girl to outdo Azula in every way. He just needed her not to be a royal, to be smart, nice and decent looking, at the very least. So long as she had those traits he was certain that she would stop being a distraction quickly enough, and, before he knew it, he would probably be back on his feet, hardly even recalling that he'd had a crush on Princess Azula.

The grid slid upwards, bringing him back to reality as it did. He took a deep breath and placed his helmet on his head, trying to focus on the battle at hand. He'd figure out what to do with his turbulent love life later. For now, he had to keep his every thought centered on the fight he was about to undertake.

The announcer called him in and Sokka entered the ring, familiar already with the usual objects that were placed in the Grand Dome's sand pit. He waved at the stands and received a very loud cheer as a response. Was it his imagination, or was the Arena more crowded than usual today? He shrugged the thought off and stopped when he was close to the center of the sand pit, resisting the impulse to look at the sponsor's balcony for once.

The grid on the other side of the Arena was raised as the announcer spoke, and a figure entered the sand as deafening hoots were heard throughout the stadium.

"And, opposing the Blue Wolf, we have the strongest female non-bender in the rankings! A crowd favorite with an impressive winning streak behind her, give a loud cheer for Kyoshi's Heir!"

Zuko and Ty Lee covered their ears as the people on their end of the audience seemed to lose their minds, shrieking insanely to root for their favorite gladiator. Zuko grimaced with disgust when he caught sight of a strange man that was even expelling foam through his mouth when the gladiator entered the ring.

But Sokka found himself ignoring all the noise as his rival walked up to him. Her green garments were thoroughly traditional, as expected, and she wore a black armor on top of it. Her features were concealed behind a very careful work of face paint that gave her appearance a daring edge. She had short light brown hair and her eyes were an unusual shade of violet.

She stopped a few feet away from where he was standing, a stern look on her face. Sokka blinked a couple of times and shook his head promptly, stopping himself from admiring her. This was quite an unexpected turn of events, wasn't it…? He would have never thought Kyoshi's Heir would turn to be anything other than dangerous… and he was pleasantly surprised to discover otherwise. Perhaps his plans to get over Azula could get into motion right away…

The crowd finally settled down when the announcer ushered the fighters to begin sparring, letting them know the combat would last twenty minutes. Zuko frowned and looked at the two gladiators, not getting a good glimpse at the girl who would be Sokka's rival for today. Her hoard of supporters had prompted him to dislike her before seeing her, expecting her to be a wimp… but with the way she stood, with her back perfectly straight and her fans at the ready, Zuko felt some respect towards her. Even if she was a gladiator, he could see she was a true warrior as well, and quite an honorable one at that.

Kyoshi's Heir held her two fans steadily on her hands as she eyed her opponent with intelligent eyes. Sokka frowned and realized she wasn't going to relinquish the fight at all… she wasn't likely to claw her way into victory, but it didn't mean she wasn't going to attempt to triumph. The determination on her face made him smile as he unsheathed his sword, his eyes fixated on her figure.

"Why… hello there" he muttered, smirking

Kyoshi's Heir frowned slightly before daring to reply to him.

"Hello" she said, her voice kinder than Sokka had expected it to be.

"Nice meeting you" he said, his smile widening at her response "I'm glad you're a reasonable person instead of being as irrational as most people I've fought with"

"It's unusual hearing compliments on the sand pit…" said Kyoshi's Heir, clenching her fans tighter. She had been fighting in the Gladiator business for over seven years. It wasn't the first time she faced an opponent who tried to be a smooth talker. Usually they used fancy words to distract her and they attacked when she least expected it, so she braced herself with that expectation in mind.

"Is it, now?" asked Sokka, amused "I wouldn't have thought so… the other gladiators must have been either too bloodthirsty or too stupid not to compliment someone like you"

"Those who were stupid or bloodthirsty were beaten quickly" said Kyoshi's Heir "But I'll have you know that those who couldn't hold their tongues were beaten down as well"

Sokka chuckled and swung his sword forward, finally getting in a proper fighting stance

"You've got the looks, got the personality… is there anything you're missing out on, Kyoshi's Heir?"

"The pride of having defeated the Blue Wolf, I suppose" she replied, smirking and leering at him, waiting for him to deliver the first blow.

Sokka couldn't help but smirk at her sly remarks. This girl wasn't just any regular girl, was she…?

And, a few feet away, someone caught notice of the broad smile on his face.

Azula's eyes grew wide in horror as she heard the words that were being exchanged down below. Her hands gripped the armrests of her chair firmly as she looked at Sokka with disbelief, unable to give credit to what was happening. What exactly was he doing…? Why was he speaking like that…? Why was he smiling at her?! What was going on with him?!

"A man with quite a quick wit and a quick tongue too…" mused Kyoshi's Heir's sponsor next to her, a man who had introduced himself earlier as Oyaji "You have a hired a very interesting gladiator, Princess"

Azula ignored his words completely, aghast as she was, snakes twisting up inside of her. This was merely a ploy Sokka had come up with to defeat Kyoshi's Heir, wasn't it? He wasn't flirting with that woman… he wasn't. He… he couldn't be. There was no way he would do something like that with another gladiator…

"Our gladiator names are really cool, no denial" said Sokka, moving Space Sword about as he spoke "But I'd really like to know what your real name is…"

"Oh, so you want to get to know me better?" asked Kyoshi's Heir, skeptical "How bold of you…"

"I take pride on that, I'm not going to lie" Sokka snickered.

"Normally people introduce themselves before asking about someone else's identity, but, regardless…" started Kyoshi's Heir, but Sokka interrupted her

"Yikes, that's right!" he said, chuckling "The name's Sokka, sorry about that"

Kyoshi's Heir's shoulders shook as she laughed as well, giving him a disbelieving stare.

"You really didn't need to say it" she muttered "I'll have you know I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries… I'm here to fight. So either you shift that flirty attitude of yours, or we're going to have a problem here…"

"Hey, hey…" said Sokka, chuckling "Why the rush? We have twenty minutes! What's wrong about getting to know each other better?"

"What's wrong is that you chose the wrong girl to play around with…" she said, shaking her head before lunging forward, her fans in tow.

"Oh, come on!" said Sokka, jumping back and avoiding the stab Kyoshi's Heir tried to deliver at his chest "You're damn forceful, you know?"

"Why, I thought you liked girls with personality!" said Kyoshi's Heir, opening her fans quickly and pivoting on her right foot, twirling and attempting to strike Sokka's shoulder now.

Sokka couldn't deny she had a very interesting fighting style. Her movements were flowing and quick, and they would have been quite efficient if she had managed to reach her target. Yet, she was faced against an opponent who knew exactly what to do to get out of her reach.

Sokka leaped to the right, rolling on the sand and hopping on his feet again. Kyoshi's Heir turned to face him and she performed another stance, holding a fan near her head and the other close to her leg.

By the stands, Zuko's eyes widened when he finally caught sight of the gladiator's face. Yes, her face was painted. Yes, she was wearing a huge golden ornament that didn't let him spot every detail about her…

… But the second his gaze had fallen upon her, he had felt something stirring within him. The determined look on her face, the position that she was currently holding, the harsh words she had spoken… all of them combined made her the most impressive woman he could recall having seen.

Ty Lee, next to him, seemed a little surprised by Sokka's lady-killer attitude towards Kyoshi's Heir, and she voiced her opinion a few times while the female gladiator hadn't been facing them. Zuko hadn't spoken his mind yet… and he was glad he hadn't. Now he had seen what she really looked like, he couldn't help but think that, if he had been in Sokka's position, he would have behaved in the same manner towards her. Or at least, he would have tried to behave in the same way.

"Okay, okay… I can see you want a fight, so I guess I'll give you one" said Sokka, shrugging "But on one condition…"

"We're working on conditions now?"

"If I manage to land a blow on you, you'll have to tell me what your name is" he stated, smirking at her.

Zuko suddenly started rooting for Sokka for the first time. He needed to know that girl's real name. It didn't really matter how he found out what it was… but he was insanely curious about her. He needed to know who she was…

"Ah… I'd say that does sound like a fair trade" said Kyoshi's Heir, narrowing her eyes and smirking at him "Though I wonder if you'll manage to land a single blow…"

"How about you come here so we can find out?" Sokka replied, showing her his teeth as he smiled as well.

Kyoshi's Heir spun around and closed one of her fans, tossing it at Sokka at such speed that he nearly lost his balance in his attempt to avoid the blow. She brought out her sword now and she ran up at him, her eyes fierce as she tried to make him realize he wasn't going to overpower her easily…

Yet she didn't expect Sokka's blade to be as steady as it was when her katana collided with it. Sokka smirked as she spun around again, her fan headed straight to his face…

But Sokka shrunk in his frame, moving his sword down and striking his opponent with his shoulder, performing a powerful tackle she hadn't envisioned. Kyoshi's Heir was sent flying a few meters back after the impact, glaring at Sokka after she was steady on her feet again.

Azula gasped at that attack, her chest heaving as she gritted her teeth. Yes, she should be glad that Sokka had managed to land a blow on a fighter who held such a high position on the ranking, but she couldn't bring herself to be pleased by the developments at all. The way he was smiling at Kyoshi's Heir as she tried to regain her breath… it wasn't the way he usually smiled at his enemies, at the people he had faced in the Arena…

It was the way in which he smiled at her.

"So… seems like you've got to talk now" said Sokka, chuckling "How about you give up that name, huh?"

Kyoshi's Heir glared at him, feeling slightly cheated. She hadn't expected him to attack her with a body slam, of all things… but it was a perfectly legal blow, wasn't it? She sighed and softened her gaze a little before muttering:

"Suki. My name… is Suki"

Sokka's mouth curved into a sneaky smile again.

"Suki, huh? It's a nice name"

Zuko sighed in the stands, his eyes never leaving Kyoshi's Heir's figure. So, Suki… that was what she was called. He found himself smiling as well as he repeated the name in his head over and over again, making sure he wouldn't forget it.

"And now we fight for real" said Kyoshi's Heir, leaping forward and attempting to strike Sokka with her sword once more.

Sokka parried her katana's blows with his own blade, and he evaded her attacks whenever she tried to strike him with her fan. He kept taking the defensive side, studying the patterns of her movements as he tried to determine the openings on her stance. He found a chance to hit her right above her left arm… but to his surprise, she moved her hand quickly and she brought it back up wielding a round shield on her forearm. She caught Sokka's sword on it and lifted her shield up, rendering him momentarily defenseless and she rammed her closed fan into his chest. Sokka was forced to fall back, breathless after the hard blow he had taken. There was no denial, this girl was a force to be reckoned with… she wasn't as deadly as Toph, granted, but he couldn't let down his guard even if he wanted to…

"What's the matter? Ran out of fancy words?" she asked, raising an eyebrow

"Oh… so you wanted to keep talking?" he retorted "I thought you just wanted to speak with our weapons now… seems like my inability to hold back my tongue appealed to you alright…"

Suki's eyes widened with surprise as he smirked at her. She huffed in disbelief, but said nothing more as she jumped forth for another attack.

"Now, now… didn't you want to talk?" asked Sokka, bringing out his club and striking down her katana with it as he lunged at her ribs with his sword. Her shield protected her from his blow.

"That's not what I meant!" replied Suki, opening her fan again and avoiding Sokka's sword when he almost caught her face with a stab.

To her dismay, Sokka smirked widely and brought down his club on her open fan, tearing it to shreds and hurting her hand in the process. Kyoshi's Heir jumped back, clenching her teeth together as she looked at her opponent after putting some distance between them. She clearly had underestimated him… both him and that quick wit of his. His smirk was more attractive than it was infuriating, yet she wouldn't let herself get swayed by that. She had come here to fight, after all…

"Look…" said Sokka, chuckling as he lowered his blade, letting her regain her breath "You're a lot more interesting than any other fighter I've met in all my years as a gladiator, and you're really pretty too. So… I don't know if you're taken or what, but… what do you say about going on a date with me?"

Suki's eyes widened with shock. Was he seriously asking her out?

Zuko grimaced, irritated. That idiot was asking her out?!

Azula grew paler with every word she heard Sokka utter. There was no way… there was just no way he had just done that… No! He was her gladiator, hers! Only hers! He had no right to ask anyone on a date, let alone a random girl he had just been fighting against! What did he see in her, anyway?! Surely she was concealing some horrible features behind that pathetic face paint! She was nothing! She wasn't even that strong a fighter, to boot! So… why? Why was he looking at that lowly girl, when the only one he should have ever looked at was her…?

"Slow down, Wolf…" said Suki, staring at him with surprise "Why should I accept going on a date with you?"

"Why…? Why would there have to be a why?" he asked, still smiling "C'mon, it'll be fun! I'm a really nice guy to hang with!"

Suki couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter. Either this guy was really stupid or he was really silly… and she began thinking it was the latter when he faced her with a very dumb grin on his face. Still… she couldn't deny that going out with him might hold a certain appeal…

"Well, in that case…" she muttered, taking another fan from her belt, to Sokka's surprise "Let's strike another bargain, shall we? If I win this fight, you'll stop pestering me and asking me for a date… if you win, I suppose I'll go out with you"

Sokka's eyes lit up in expectation at her words while a large group in the crowd seemed to go rabid. The audience sitting at the eastern wing of the Arena, comprised mostly of rabid Kyoshi's Heir's fanboys, began yelling at the Blue Wolf with rage, telling him to stay away from their goddess. Zuko himself wasn't too happy about the happenings, but he frowned and glared at Sokka, knowing there was no way he would beat Kyoshi's Heir if she fought to her best… a girl like her wouldn't lose, not to a flirty Water Tribe moron like Sokka.

Up in the sponsor's balcony, Azula's knuckles were turning white as she clasped the armrest tighter than before. Why did she comply?! She didn't even know him! What the hell was the matter with that stupid face-painted woman?! Regardless, for the first time in her life, she found herself hoping deeply that Sokka would lose a fight. He couldn't win… she didn't care about catching up to the Blind Bandit anymore, she didn't care about him reaching the highest spot in the ranking… all she wanted right now was to put a thousand miles of distance between the two gladiators who were fighting down in the sand right now.

"Seems like that's the best I'll get out of you" said Sokka, chuckling "Fine, then. If you win, I'll leave you alone. If not…"

Suki smiled and lunged towards him, her weapons ready to strike him down. If this was the way this would develop then, no matter how little money there was involved in this combat, she wouldn't let him get ahead of her. She wasn't completely against the idea of going out with him, but she would rather defeat him and prove him and his womanizing ways wrong, seeing how it seemed nobody had ever rejected him before.

Their blades clashed together several times. His club tried to slam down on her fan, but she managed to stop him with her arm's shield. The collision of the club on the metal plate shook her to the bone, the vibrations of the blow a little harsher than she had expected them to be. It seemed the Blue Wolf was quite intent on triumphing, wasn't he? Suki frowned and looked up at him, and she was surprised to find him smiling at her. It wasn't a sneaky smirk, it was just… a pleased smile. As if he was enjoying the fight thoroughly… For some reason, he became a lot more interesting in her eyes as she began seeing him in a different light. Maybe he wasn't a mere womanizer… maybe he really liked her and he liked fighting too…

And before she knew it, Suki began to enjoy the battle as well. She forgot all about the bid, about the fact that the man she was fighting against was a total stranger to her. She continued attempting to strike him down, but now with a smile rather than a stern frown. Sokka couldn't help but beam at the sight.

"You look a lot better with a smile on your face, you know?" he said, ducking to avoid a blow from her fan

"You're too smooth for your own good!" said Kyoshi's Heir, spinning in a circle and bringing down her katana towards Sokka's head.

He jumped to the side and ducked, tripping and knocking her to the floor effectively. Suki was shocked, but she pushed herself back to her feet swiftly right before Sokka slammed his club towards where her leg had been.

"If you really want to go out with me, you shouldn't be trying to smash me up like that!" she teased, moving around him and trying to strike him with her blade.

Sokka jumped away from her, an amused smile on his face.

"But if I don't smash you, there's no date!"

"What's more important, having me whole or going out with me in pieces?" asked Suki, raising her eyebrows inquisitively.

Sokka frowned and looked at the sky above, thoughtful

"Gee… now there's a predicament…"

Suki knew he was playing her, which was why she wasn't too indignant by those words. She rolled her eyes and jumped forth, trying to hit his feet with her sword. Sokka jumped and avoided the blow, laughing as he retailed with his club and Space Sword, doing his best to keep the control of the fight.

She managed to hit his ribs with her fan, making him wince before slamming down on her with the club. He ended up hitting her shielded hand again, to which she winced but she replied with her katana, moving it straight towards Sokka's arm…

To everyone's surprise, including his own, Sokka moved his sword at such speed that he brought it down on Suki's katana heavily, slicing the sword's blade in two.

Suki jumped back, aghast, holding the handle with utter disbelief. Sokka himself hadn't been expecting to swing down Space Sword with such power… he had discovered he could cut through metals with the weapon if he slammed it down with enough force, but he had never used that skill in combat before.

"Uh… sorry about that!" he called out, grimacing guiltily.

Suki looked up at him and smiled sideways at him. She had underestimated him completely… he wasn't the first man who had tried to sway her in combat, but he was the first one who had proved to be strong enough to overpower her, even.

"You're something, Blue Wolf…" she muttered, lifting her fan again as she got ready to leap at him again…

But the voice of the announcer thundered through his megaphone, halting both of them before they could attack each other again.

"The time is up! The winner shall be declared shortly by the judges!"

Azula grew paler when she heard those words. No… no. The fight couldn't be over. What about the moment in which Kyoshi's Heir pulled off an amazing comeback?! This couldn't end like this! Because, if it did… she began shivering, not even knowing what was taking over her as she glared at the arena, her mind in complete denial.

"Sorry about the fan… and your sword" said Sokka, smiling weakly as Kyoshi's Heir walked about the sand, picking up the remnants of the weapons he had destroyed.

"No need to apologize, you were doing your job" she said, tucking the fan into the sash wrapped around her waist "And you did it well enough. You're surprisingly strong, for a new fighter…"

Sokka couldn't help but feel proud of himself when she said that. She was the best female non-bender in the ranking, wasn't she? If her praises were true, it was possible that he could find a way to beat people who were even higher than she was…

"After much deliberation…" began one of the judges, taking the megaphone now "We have decided on a winner. Seeing how both fighters showed an amazing prowess at fighting, both are worthy of a lot of merit… yet there can only be one victorious gladiator. And in this fight, the winner is the Blue Wolf"

Sokka smiled joyfully at those words. Yes! He had earned himself a huge array of points! And not just that… he also had a date!

Zuko didn't seem half as pleased about those happenings. Despite the fact that Sokka had destroyed two of Suki's weapons, he couldn't help but feel that her fighting style and skills were far superior to his…

He was supposed to have come to the Arena to see how strong Sokka was, yet his eyes had been claimed by Kyoshi's Heir's figure all along. As he watched her, all his problems, all his anger, all his sadness had faded away. She had taken over his senses with every motion, with every smile he had seen on her face, and he just needed to see more of her…

The gladiator business was no longer as disagreeable in his eyes as it had always been.

Suki giggled slightly, shaking her head in disbelief. She had never lost against someone so low in the ranking… yet she had been unable to keep up with the Blue Wolf's prowess. His skills were truly impressive.

"So… you won" she muttered and Sokka grinned broadly at her

"Yup! So… have we got ourselves a date?" he asked, eagerly.

Suki couldn't help but laugh. Who had ever heard about a slave being able to go out on a date? She didn't know for certain what Sokka's circumstances were, but perhaps being the Princess's gladiator held some perks she hadn't been aware of. It seemed he had no issues with hanging out with someone like her, with walking down the streets amongst the noblemen who would likely look down on them… if he was such a particular man, she would likely enjoy his company.

"Meet me at twilight, at Dong's Noodle Store" she said, smiling at him before turning around, headed back towards the stand-by room she had entered the Arena from.

Sokka couldn't help but beam joyfully at the prospect. It had been a good day… he'd won a big fight, and now he had a date! His lousy fortune was turning around lately… because now he had managed to take his first step towards getting over Azula. This would be for the best on the long run, he was positive about it…

"Why, that was an interesting fight" said Oyaji, taking out a few coins from his pocket "I didn't expect your gladiator to be as strong as he was. You have chosen a good man to sponsor, Princess"

He turned to hand her the money, but he stopped on his tracks when he found the Princess to be hunched over, her elbows on her knees as her hands went to yank her hair. Her strange posture made him blink a few times, utterly confused, before deciding to place the coins on her chair's armrest and taking his leave without another word.

Azula didn't take notice of him or of the money he had left beside her. All she could do was shiver, shiver and continue telling herself that this was just a bad dream. Sokka… he couldn't have. Why would he have…?

But reality kept smacking her on the face. Yes, he had asked that girl out, she had heard his words clearly enough. So… what did that mean, then? What was this supposed to translate into? Did it mean that he would behave like this with any girl that caught his eye? Was it that he'd always flirt stupid and charmingly and ask them on a date if he liked them…? Well… he'd never gotten as far as to ask her out like that. But then… did it mean all the teasing, all the laughing, all the smiles he had shown her… all of them had been a lie?

She couldn't believe it. She hated to think about it like this, but there was nothing else she could conclude after what she had just witnessed. He was a man, a dumb, horny, impulsive man… why had she been stupid enough to delude herself into thinking that she was special for him? Well… she probably was. She was his sponsor. She was his ticket back home, if he pulled the job off… and he was being used by her in turn as she made sure the entire world would acknowledge her. So… so it shouldn't hurt like this to hear he would have a date. It shouldn't mean anything that he had been swayed by another girl…

But it did. She had never felt such an unbearable emotional pain before. And it was all because she had been naïve enough to think that he belonged to her in his entirety… she had truly thought so, even if only subconsciously. Even when he had hired a female slave, Azula had been certain nothing could happen between them… because he belonged to her. He was hers… and she was unwilling to share him with anyone, especially with face-painted girls who fought with yellow fans.

Sokka belonged to her. He was her slave. He had no right to do as he wished, no right to have dates, to look at other girls… he didn't. But how on earth could she stop him? And why exactly was she so keen on stopping him anyway?

The answer tried to present itself in her mind in the form of a rational thought, but she pushed it away before it could materialize. No… it was nothing regarding feelings, nothing regarding an emotional attachment of some sort towards him. No… it was because she needed him to focus on the gladiator business. If he had a silly girlfriend, he would lose his center. She couldn't let him do that… he had to fulfill his duty to her first of all. Once he was done with that, he could fool around with whoever he wanted to fool around with, she wouldn't care… because, why should she care? He… he was just a slave. He was only ever meant to be a slave. Nothing else about him mattered, nothing…

She stood up, still trembling, after those thoughts crossed her mind. She knocked one of the coins to the floor when she moved on her chair, and she only caught notice of them when she heard it hit the floor. She leaned down and picked up the money, cringing when she realized how shaky her hand was. She needed to calm down already, she wasn't helping herself or anyone else by behaving like this…

Azula left the sponsor's balcony, her feet dragging her down the stairs before she knew where she was headed. She should go find Sokka… shouldn't she? He was probably in the middle of his medical check right now. The mere thought of seeing him again felt as a hand of ice was squeezing her heart tightly. This had to stop, she couldn't continue like this. How was she supposed to face him when she was in such disarray? He would notice there was something off about her, and what was she supposed to say? That she didn't want him to go on a date with that girl? He would keep asking why she didn't want him to… and she wouldn't want to answer. She didn't want him to know the answer.

Regardless, she had to go to him. If she wanted to pretend she wasn't bothered by this, if she wanted to act as if she didn't care about who he went out with, she had to try to behave as she normally would. Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself back up the stairs and walked through the waiting rooms' hall, finding the one Sokka was in just as the medical team was taking their leave.

She felt a flare of fury within her when she saw him up close and caught sight of how pleased he seemed to be about himself. He was sitting on a long couch, smiling as he closed his shirt and tucked it into his belt, his armor lying on another sofa in the room.

"Oh…" he said, when he caught sight of the Princess "I was starting to wonder where you were"

"Just… not here" was Azula's shifty response, her heart beating furiously as she felt an urge to yell at him, to find out if he had simply been playing around with her all along…

"Well, that much is obvious" said Sokka, chuckling "So, I've gotten a huge amount of points now! You should be glad! I'm sure we must have passed the Blind Bandit after this…"

"Yeah, I… I guess so" replied Azula, closing the door behind her and walking towards Sokka, resisting the urge to force him to explain why he had betrayed her trust like he had.

"I think I outdid myself today" he said, smiling broadly "That's probably the best fight I've put so far!"

"Huh…"

"I mean, considering how strong she was… to think I was up to her level baffles me. I suppose I had a few advantages, but still…"

"Yes, you did…" Azula agreed, gazing through the room's window "You already were counting on her not fighting to her best, and then you got yourself another advantage… it was quite creative, what you did out there today. Flirting to get her to lose focus… I would have never thought you'd do something like that. It seemed unnecessary to me. Still, it worked to our favor, so I don't have much to say about it…"

"Woah, woah, woah…" said Sokka, raising his hands in signal of defense "I wasn't flirting just to get her to lose focus"

"Y-you weren't…?" asked Azula, feeling again that cruel icy grip around her heart as she continued staring away pointedly "So… you're saying you meant every word you said?"

"Well, you saw her, didn't you?" asked Sokka, smiling again "She's really cool. She's strong, she's witty, she's pretty…"

"Pretty?" asked Azula, with a skeptical laugh "She was wearing such thick face paint it could have been a mask. You couldn't see if she was pretty or not…"

"I'm not just talking about her face" said Sokka, rolling his eyes and shaking his head "The way she moved, the way her body looked as well… it's not just the face. She was really beautiful, as a person"

"How can you say that for certain?" asked Azula, her teeth gritted "You don't even know her. You just met her"

"Well, no need to worry about that" said Sokka, grinning "I'll get to know her better when we go on our date tonight, I'm sure. Then I'll have you know if she's as beautiful as I initially thought"

Azula found herself lacking anything to reply with. She was disappointed, she was furious… and mostly at herself. Why had she let herself believe his treatment of her had meant anything? He was a fool… a womanizer, and a fool. He wouldn't have been able to see true beauty even if it slapped him in the face.

"You know… I'm really thinking I got myself the better end of our deal" he said, chuckling as he threw himself back on the couch, his face up towards the ceiling.

"What…? Which deal are you talking about, exactly…?" asked Azula, enraged enough to turn around and face him now.

"The first one we struck, remember?" said Sokka, his eyes closed as he smiled innocently "I was doubtful for a while, thinking you would make me go through a living hell… but it hasn't been half as bad as I expected. Fact is, I'm doing really well! I've got a house of my own, a girl at home who makes my food, I was trained by an amazing sword master, you give me a large part of the winnings from each of my fights… and now I've got a date with an amazing girl. Seriously… I never would have imagined my life would be as nice as it is right now" he finished, a dumb and proud smile on his face.

Azula began shivering with fury again. So… he had gotten the best end of the deal, had he? The damned jerk had, clearly. There was no questioning it.

He opened his eyes and looked back at her, his blue eyes colliding with hers. She took a few steps towards him, letting him see the rage that was controlling her at the moment. It annoyed her further when Sokka merely cracked an arrogant smirk… he thought he'd won. He thought she was mad because she had conceded him a dream life and he hadn't needed to give her anything in return. He was actually proud of himself, that imbecile…

"Is that so…?" she muttered, her glare growing even more vicious.

"Yeah" he replied, still smirking.

Oh, how she thrived to prove him wrong. She wanted to get him to realize that he didn't have as much freedom as he thought… she needed to make him face the truth: his life was not the fun ride he had deluded himself into thinking it was. Because, yes, he belonged to her. He was HER slave! Nobody else's! And she wasn't going to share him with anyone, in any way…

Sokka started to worry a little when he realized the expression in Azula's eyes was concealing genuine hurt far behind the rage that had taken over her at the moment. Well… he hadn't been trying to hurt her. He was trying to spare the two of them from an affair that wouldn't end well if they dared give in to their instincts…

She smirked suddenly, and Sokka had to stop beaming stupidly altogether. There was something really dangerous about Azula right now. He couldn't say what it was for certain, but there was an edge to her…

The Gladiator ignored that the Princess, fueled by anger, disappointment, recklessness and pain, was about to do exactly what he had been trying to stop both of them from doing: letting her feelings take over her body as she surrendered to her innermost urges.

Her hands went to the couch at either side of Sokka as she leaned down, her eyes fluttering shut a second before her lips collided with his.

Sokka did the exact opposite to what she had just done, his eyes growing wide in shock as he began to process what was happening. He gasped in surprise… and Azula took his motion to mean he was welcoming a deeper kiss. The second his lips parted from one another she took the chance to slide her tongue into his mouth, her hands going to his neck now as she held him in place.

Sokka was the one shivering now, not knowing what to make of this. There was no way… there was no way Azula was kissing him. She couldn't be… it couldn't be… it was downright impossible. Why would she do it? And after he had been flirting with another girl, to boot! Was she… was she showing him that she wouldn't let him out of her grasp without a fight? Was she trying to prove him that she was far better than that other girl…?

Well, of course she was. She had always been. She would always be superior to any girl he could ever meet. But she couldn't be his. They couldn't be together. Suki was a gladiator, a slave just like himself! Azula… she was a Princess. And it didn't matter how thoroughly he enjoyed the taste of her lips, how he felt jolts of pleasure at every caress of her tongue… it could never happen.

But it was happening.

Sokka wanted to keep himself lucid, he didn't want to slip into this madness thoughtlessly… but how could he resist? Why should he resist, when she was the one who had flung herself at his arms? Azula was the one who had succumbed to temptation, not him… so he shouldn't feel bad for letting himself go with it… right?

Because he had wanted to do this for longer than he dared admit. To feel her lips against his, to inhale her breath, to have their tongues clash together…

His eyes closed slowly and his hands made their way towards her, grasping her arms and pulling her to him. Azula was surprised by that response… she had half expected him to push her away, to ask her why she had done that. She had never thought his tongue would begin moving against hers, his lips pressing to hers as he made her climb atop him.

She had to place her hands on the backrest of the couch as her legs went to either side of him, his hands going to her hips as he brought her closer to him. Azula couldn't quite process what was happening anymore, amazed as she was by his skilled motions. The way he kissed her back sent shivers down her spine. She surrounded his neck with her arms as she gave him the reigns of their endeavor, her fingers slipping into his hair.

Sokka's mind grew blank as he devoted himself to the moment in its entirety. Because, for all he knew, this might be the one time he would have her in his grasp… His hands moved to her back and then they slipped a little lower… Azula couldn't hold back a small moan when she felt his fingers caress her bottom. The sound she uttered made him groan back, his hands moving upwards now and stroking the sides of her body. Azula couldn't help but frown, slightly confused, when she noticed Sokka's groin was becoming stiff all of sudden…

… But she had no time to think about whatever was happening inside his pants when his hands slipped underneath her armor, cupping her breasts with those rough hands of his. Azula gasped and moaned, withdrawing herself from the kiss shortly as she regained her breath, but he caught her lips just a second after she had pulled away. Nobody had ever touched her like this… nobody had ever devoured her lips like this… and she had never desired anyone as badly as the man underneath her, the man who was taking over her senses as his tongue slipped to every unexplored corner of her mouth, claiming her as his own as he continued stroking her chest.

Azula hardly knew what she was doing when her hands went to his neck again, touching the scars she had placed on it a long time ago. She dove into his mouth, leaning in to try and assess her control over him once more as she attempted to slide her tongue out of his control and into his mouth. The struggle carried on for longer than they could tell, neither willing to surrender, as ever. His hands slipped down to her buttocks for the second time, hers went to his chest, the chest that had enticed her months ago at Piandao's mansion. To think she had finally gotten her hands on it…

Moans and groans were exchanged as their arousal grew. Azula had no doubts left regarding what the bulge between Sokka's legs was… she had no clue she could produce such an effect on a man. And it wasn't just any man… it was him. It was Sokka… it was Sokka.

His hands cupped her buttocks tightly and she shivered at his touch. Goosebumps ran all over her body, and she tried not to lose control of herself, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her head clear with every passing second. The unspoken words exchanged by their caresses and kisses were delivering a very clear message, the message she had wanted to convey through her actions: he belonged to her. And his response told her that she belonged to him as well. And nothing could change that truth: not a face painted gladiator, not the prejudices regarding their positions in the world… None of that mattered. Right now, she wasn't a Princess. He wasn't a slave. She was only Azula, he was only Sokka. And they were drawn to each other by forces of attraction that were completely beyond their control…

Sokka's arms pulled her body closer to him, her legs spread wide as they came into full contact, their tongues still involved in a wild dance until their lungs begged for air. Sokka relented against his will, desiring more of her. He kissed her lips one last time as she pulled away, his hands now playing with her long dark hair.

They panted, their chests heaving as their foreheads remained linked for a moment. Sokka opened his eyes at last, looking at her in awe. He hadn't had enough of her… he probably never would. Her lips were so delectable that he wanted to kiss them again…

But Azula moved her head to his shoulder, still gasping for breath. Sokka's hands went to her hips as he began processing the way he had touched her, the way he had kissed her… her, of all people! His sponsor… the Fire Lord's daughter… the more he thought about it, the more he wondered what the hell had gotten into him. This was exactly what he had been trying to fight against… but he hadn't been able to hold his own against her seductive ways.

Azula finally seemed to have regained her breath, seeing how her chest wasn't moving as heavily as before. Sokka looked down at her for a moment, wondering what he should say… what could he do to make this situation less trouble than it was?

But Azula was the one to make a move. She lifted her head again, her lips going to his ear, as she spoke a sentence coated with poison:

"Have fun on your date"

Sokka's eyes snapped wide open when he heard her words. His date… he had a date. There was still a world beyond the waiting room in which they had been locked in…

And Azula had kissed him. She had gone down on him when she had found a chance. And she had finished her deeds of the day by uttering those words viciously at him…

She knew. Somehow, she knew everything. She knew he had been dreaming about her, she knew he desired her with every fiber of his being… and she wanted him to keep feeling that way. She wanted to make him hers completely. She had seen how he had been about to break free from her spell… so she had cast it once again, with ten times more power than before. She had done it all just to drive him into a corner, to make sure that he would be completely unable to get her out of his mind ever again…

Azula pushed herself off the couch, without giving a last glance at the gladiator. She walked to the door, her head held high, and she exited the room. Sokka followed her with his gaze. He had been played… he had been stupid enough to think he really had the upper hand in this war they were fighting. And she had proven him wrong once again. She would always be one step ahead of him, those amber eyes of hers teasing him mockingly, knowing he would never escape from her grip, no matter how he strived to release himself from the curse she had sealed upon him with that wild kiss…

Azula closed the door behind her and took a few steps down the hall before losing her balance for a moment, her legs unable to respond properly. She leaned on the wall with her hand first, then she pressed her back against it as her hands went up to cover her mouth. Her eyes opened wide as a prominent blush appeared on her cheeks. Her mind kept sending signals at her, trying to force her to acknowledge what had happened in that room, but she couldn't think straight anymore, not after intoxicating herself willingly with his lips, with his hands, with his tongue…

There was only one logical thought in her mind at the moment, a thought that kept repeating itself in her mind time over and time again…

_What have I done?_


	27. Chapter 27

He couldn't believe it yet. His mind was still in a complete blur after what had happened a few hours earlier. He ran his tongue over his lips; trying to taste her on him again… he shook his head and returned to his noodle bowl. He shouldn't think about her anymore, he should forget what had gone down between them altogether! But the ghostly feel of her mouth pressed against his was still driving him mad with desire…

The chopstick on his hand snapped when his grip grew fiercer upon remembering his last meeting with the Princess. He blinked a few times, looking at the stick on his hand as if he had never seen something like it in his life. He couldn't cope with reality while his mind was in such disarray.

"What did you…?" asked his date, looking at him with concern.

Sokka blinked a few times and gave her a guilty smile, showing her the broken stick.

"I just… clenched it a bit too hard, that's all" he said, smiling sideways.

Suki raised an inquisitive eyebrow but smiled back, asking the store keeper for another set of chopsticks. Sokka sighed, feeling like an utter fool, and he thanked the store clerk when he received his new chopsticks.

He had stayed in the waiting room for longer than he could tell, trying to make sense out of what had occurred between him and Azula. She had attacked him when he had his guard down, when he had been thinking that, with what he'd done by asking another girl out, she would understand they shouldn't be together. Heck, she should have even grown to hate him for doing something like that if she was actually interested in him! But instead… instead she had stuck her tongue down his throat. And he still couldn't believe he had been stupid enough to let her do it.

With those words she told him before leaving the room, Azula had proven her cruelty for the millionth time. Sokka could have believed that kiss had meant she didn't want him to be with another woman, that she cared for him… but those words had proved otherwise. They had proved she knew he was trying to get away from her charms, they proved she would go to any ends to make sure his life remained as miserable as possible. She knew he couldn't get her out of his mind… because as soon as he had tried to push her away, she had pulled him back to her with the force of a fully formed cyclone.

And he hated to accept she had won. He had dressed up and gone to the noodle shop Kyoshi's Heir had mentioned, and he had been quite surprised to discover the gladiator waiting for him, looking nothing like woman he had met in the Arena earlier now that she was wearing a dress instead of an armor, and that her face was completely clean. He was pleased to discover that, underneath her face paint, she had been truly pretty…

But none of that mattered. Even if he tried to smile as Suki talked to him, his head was elsewhere. He couldn't listen to what she said even if he tried. His mind had been completely poisoned by that heartless and beautiful firebender, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't focus on reality when he was still being haunted by that kiss.

"Is everything okay, Sokka?" asked Suki, after finishing her noodle bowl. He was sitting across her on the table and she could see how his clear eyes gained a dark quality every now and then. Ever since he had arrived at the store he had looked somewhat different from the man she had met earlier in the sand pit. She had figured he was simply nervous, since it wasn't likely he went out on dates too often. She had tried to talk casually and help him relax, but even if he smiled and agreed with what she said, she could tell he was distraught for some reason.

"Uh? Y-yeah, why do you ask?" he replied, smiling guiltily.

"Well… you don't seem to be okay if you're breaking chopsticks" said Suki, smiling a little as well "Don't you like those noodles?"

"What? No! I love them!" said Sokka, lifting his plate and gulping down lots of noodles savagely. Suki raised an eyebrow at his exaggerated reaction, and her suspicions grew further.

"You do? Really?" she asked "Look, if you wanted to go someplace else you could have said…"

"N-no… there's nowhere else I would have gone" said Sokka, interrupting her "I don't even know any other places! So yeah, this was fine. A good place for a good date!"

Suki raised an eyebrow, still insecure about what he was saying. In her humble opinion, this wasn't that much of a good date… she had only been on one date before a long time ago, and even though it had been disastrous, it hadn't been as strange as this one. At least back then she had been sure the guy was interested in her…

"Well… good, then" she muttered, still looking at him with uncertainty "Then, if that's not what bothers you, what is?"

"W-why would you think something bothers me?" asked Sokka, trying to shake the matter off with a laugh, but his words came off as sarcastic instead.

"Because you were way more enthusiastic about this when we were at the Arena" said Suki "Did something happen to you, or… is it I'm not what you expected?"

"W-what? No! You're... you're perfect as you are" said Sokka, shaking his head frantically at first before sighing and placing his elbows on the table, his hands going to his hair "Okay, I suppose there's no point in denying something weird happened to me… but I really don't feel comfortable talking about it. Not here, not now…"

Suki blinked a few times, surprised by his confession. So there was something bothering him indeed…

"So… is that why you're acting like this?" she asked

"Yeah, and I'm sorry about it" Sokka muttered "I didn't mean to be such a lousy date…"

Suki giggled slightly and shook her head, shrugging the matter off.

"Truth to be told, it was all too good to last" she said, still smiling at him "A strong, handsome gladiator, witty and interesting…? There had to be something about you that wouldn't let this work out properly"

"W-what do you mean by that?!" asked Sokka, aghast.

"It's hard to explain" admitted Suki "I've been in the gladiator business for almost seven years, and never had I faced an opponent like you. Granted, I've handled some men who are much stronger than you, but none had been witty and flirty as well"

"Huh, I'll try to take that as a compliment" said Sokka, smiling a little.

"But there's the thing… we are gladiators" said Suki, her eyes darkening a little "Even if it's fun to think we can have a life like the one Honorary citizens have, we'd be kidding ourselves. We're supposed to put our necks in the line, fight to our best in that sand pit and we don't even know if we'll come out alive. Romance seems ridiculous when that's the life you've been leading for seven years…"

"Oh… I see now" muttered Sokka, pursing his lips a little. He had never thought about the matter under that light. Truthfully, his life was way too simple because Azula had granted him every little thing he could have asked for. Most gladiators didn't have the same luck "In that case, why did you accept?"

"I guess I was intrigued" Suki said, shrugging "I wondered what it would be like for me to attempt to have a normal life, as if I wasn't actually a slave"

"And I guess I've let you down after this" said Sokka, grimacing "I'm sorry…"

Suki laughed and shook her head, patting his hand over the table.

"You're not to blame, Sokka…"

"Yeah, I am" he said, looking up at her "This date was a mess because of me… maybe I could have given you the life you wanted to try out if I wasn't a total mess"

"Stop being so hard on yourself" she said, smiling at him again "It's fine. I'm okay with this. It wasn't like I was expecting anything huge… but I won't deny it was a nice change of pace for the life I'd been leading so far. It's nice to make a friend in the Arena for once"

Sokka smiled back weakly and nodded, still feeling like a fool. This was an amazing girl, truly… and he had ruined everything he could have had with her.

Yet, he could drop the blame for that on Azula's shoulders. Fact was, he felt like she was more at fault for this failure than he was. In other circumstances, in another world, he might have had a chance with a girl like Suki… but Azula had destroyed all those possibilities with that accursed kiss. So long as he was still enticed by her, he would be completely unable to have a normal life.

Truth to be told, he would be completely unable to have a normal life so long as she was in it. He clenched his teeth at the thought, knowing he wouldn't find a way to get rid of his problems until Azula was out of his life. And she wouldn't be out of it until he managed to become the top gladiator in the ranking. He would have to live with this for longer than he wanted to…

"So… I guess that's that?" asked Suki, bringing Sokka back to reality once again. Sokka jumped and shook his head before giving her another guilty smile.

"Yeah, I suppose… I'm so sorry" he muttered, with a sigh.

Suki squeezed his fingers for a moment before giving him another smile and getting up from the table. Sokka sighed again and pulled out some money, leaving the payment for their meals on the table before following Suki out of the store.

They walked down the Capital's crowded streets in silence. The Fire Nation's largest city was a sight to behold at night, with colorful lanterns and excited people roaming the streets. The pairing walked amongst them all, baffled by the sights and sounds. Sokka looked down at Suki every now and then, feeling guiltier by the minute. Their date had been no use… it only made him feel even worse about himself. Suki was a good girl, and he had been trying to use her to get Azula out of his mind. Jumping into a relationship with such a lowly intention was the most dishonorable thing he could have done to a woman like her. In a way, he had deserved what Azula had done to him.

But, regardless, he wished he could have another chance to make things right with Suki. He could be a better man than he had been today, a better man for her… if only his life didn't revolve around a completely different woman.

They arrived to a small building unknown to Sokka. Suki had been the one leading the way, and the Blue Wolf had only followed fit, thinking that, at the very least, he could walk her home without making the date any worse.

"Well, this is my place" said Suki, turning around and giving him another smile "Thanks for the meal, and for the date…"

"Even if it sucked?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow. Suki giggled and shrugged.

"It didn't suck… but I won't deny it was a little dull"

Sokka smiled too and tilted his head down, his hands in his pockets.

"I'm so sorry… it's all my fault. I'm a mess right now and I didn't even know it. I shouldn't have asked you out as thoughtlessly as I did, I wasn't ready for something like this"

"Truth to be told, I don't think I was ready for it either" said Suki, shrugging "It was a nice idea, regardless. I look forward to seeing you around the Arena again sometime"

"Yeah… same" said Sokka, smiling at her "Sorry again"

"It's fine" Suki replied, chuckling before standing on the tips of her toes to peck his cheek.

Her kiss was soft and kind, most unlike the wild exchange he had enjoyed with the Fire Nation Princess earlier. He clenched his fists at that thought. Now he knew for certain that nothing would prove to be enough to pull his mind away from Azula.

"Good night, Sokka. Thanks for everything" said Suki, smiling at him and walking into the house without another word.

Sokka gritted his teeth and shook his head, completely ashamed of himself. He'd had an amazing girl in his grasp and he had blown it… all because of another girl, a girl he could never be with. It didn't matter if Azula wanted him too, not really. Because they wouldn't be together, no matter how desperate they both were to get locked in the other's embrace.

Even if he currently wanted to hate Azula, he couldn't deny that what he wanted the most was to push her down and make her his. He had wanted that for a while now, but after that kiss he had grown more desperate to feel her body against him. It was probably because he had gotten a taste of what was supposed to be unattainable… and she should have always remained unattainable. She should have never tried to close the gap between them in that way… why had she wanted to close it, anyways? Why had she climbed down her world of luxury and royalty to tease a lowly slave like himself? Was it that much fun to play with his feelings? He shook his head, unable to understand what pleasure Azula could find in making his life more miserable than it already was.

As he walked down the streets he recalled how he had claimed his life was great now… what a pile of nonsense. Certainly, Azula had given him many things… but they had an expiration date. Just as she had granted him so many benefits, she could rip them away from him with the blink of an eye. And with that kiss, she had proved it to him once again: he was under her control. He wasn't enjoying a happy life, he was enjoying the life she felt like granting him… and if he dared displease her, he would pay dearly.

His head ached and his chest felt as if he had taken an arrow to the heart. He had been a fool all along, letting himself feel anything for the Princess. He should have known he had been playing too dangerous a game. Azula was as cold and deadly as her merciless fire, and he would never get away without getting burned. Even back when they had first met she had left a burn on him as a souvenir so he wouldn't forget she wasn't someone to fool around with. And he had been stupid enough not to learn the lesson until now.

Sokka didn't feel like going home yet. He knew Song would ask him about his date, since he had dropped by at home to change into comfortable clothing before meeting with Kyoshi's Heir, and he really didn't want to answer anything regarding Suki or Azula as he was. He needed to give his mind a break, to find something he could use to forget all of which had happened to him on such a messed up day.

An establishment nearby caught his eye. The men who were entering it looked quite eager, and the ones who were leaving had red noses and were laughing loudly. Apparently not all noblemen in the fanciest circles of the Fire Nation behaved with dignity…

But the tavern lured Sokka in. He had gotten around drinking around two times in his life, but he had never been a big fan of alcoholic beverages. Still, he would welcome any form of liquor gladly right now. He wanted to forget all of what had happened, to close his eyes and pretend he was back home again, that there was no war to worry about, no Fire Nation taking over the world and no Princess to lust after fruitlessly…

The wheel of fire was powerful and steady, to her satisfaction. Azula blasted it with full force, sending it all the way to the scorched wall at the other end of the Agni Kai chamber.

Azula stood alone in the platform, her golden eyes focused on the fire that was fading away now. She should have felt proud to see the blackened marking had grown more prominent after her attack, but she didn't come down to the Agni Kai chamber hoping to singe the walls.

She had resolved to return to the Palace right after her legs had gained enough strength for her to walk properly. She had ordered the palanquin bearers to take her back home immediately, and they had obeyed her without a second thought. Yet, as ever, the Royal Guard's Captain had inquired why they wouldn't wait for the gladiator. Azula's glare had let him know he'd do best to stick to her orders, and he decided to spare himself from her wrath by leaving her be.

The Princess had stormed off to her room at first, but after hyperventilating for a moment she realized her best bet would be to work out her frustrations through firebending. Back when she had been a child she had resorted to practicing her bending whenever something would upset her. She hadn't trained in some time, so she could do with the exercise… and she was really upset at the moment, so it didn't take too long for her to make up her mind about what she wanted to do. She headed down to the Agni Kai grounds, the only place where she could bend without damaging her surroundings, and she began bending to the best of her ability.

She stood on the platform, panting, her head tilted down slightly after spending an hour or two bending fire. She still couldn't believe what she had done… How could she kiss him like that?! He was a jerk, an insolent savage! He had deserved to get burned to cinders, not kissed!

But the matter that bothered her most was that he had kissed her back. Did it mean he actually wanted her…? Did it mean she hadn't misinterpreted the signs he had been sending her earlier?

She gritted her teeth and sent an array of fire into the air with her legs, kicking her azure flames at invisible enemies. Yes, she probably had seen things for what they were. Sokka had wanted her, Sokka had been interested in her since the day they had met. That weird comment on her "blue fire" had been enough to betray the fact that he was attracted to her even when they were enemies. And now they weren't enemies… but there was still a wall between them they weren't supposed to climb over. Therefore, even though she was appealing to him, he would run off to find women who could provide him the fun that she couldn't give him…

Well, if that was the case, fine! She didn't need him or his rough hands, or his forceful lips, or his dazzling blue eyes…

She screamed in rage when her thoughts made her long for him again. Blue fire erupted from her mouth, spreading upwards as she held her hands balled in fists, ejecting fire from them as well. The frustration within her seemed endless: frustration at Sokka, for being such a simpleton, but also frustration towards herself for letting her heart waver because of him. Feelings and emotions were useless, her father had always said so. And she believed in his words. She had wanted to cast away all emotional attachments she had felt towards anyone and anything… but she couldn't. She wasn't strong enough to discard her feelings. She couldn't be like Fire Lord Ozai no matter how hard she tried to be.

Azula panted after she was done screaming, her lungs in dire need for air. Why? Why did she feel so hollow inside? Why couldn't she stop longing for something she would never have? And why should she even long for him?! He was a lowly, pathetic slave! There was nothing about him she should desire! But yet, she desired him. She needed to have him with her, his hands fondling her body, their tongues twirling together in a lustful dance once more…

"What are you up to?" asked someone from the stands at the sides of the Agni Kai Arena "It sounded like someone getting killed in here…"

Azula turned around at the sound of that voice. The black-haired earthbender didn't look back at her for obvious reasons, but it seemed she didn't need eyesight to figure out where Azula was. For the first time ever since she had met the Blind Bandit, Azula found herself wishing the girl had killed Sokka when she'd had the chance.

"Get out of here" Azula snapped "You have no business with me"

"You just sounded really upset. I could sense your screams when I walked down the hall, and I couldn't help but wonder what would be eating you" said Toph, shrugging "Did the Dog lose today?"

"H-he… he didn't lose" Azula muttered before she could hold her tongue. Sokka's victories shouldn't be the Blind Bandit's concern.

"Then what's the matter, Jewel?" asked Toph "Seems like you're damn annoyed by something…"

"Don't call me that" Azula retorted, her eyes flaring at the sound of the nickname "And, as I said, whatever annoys me is no business of a petty slave like yourself. Get out of here if you don't want me to burn you to ashes"

"Huh…" said Toph, smirking "Burn me to ashes, you said? Sounds like fun…"

"What?" muttered Azula, surprised

"To me, it sounds like you're pissed as hell" said Toph, chuckling "And I've heard a few things about your skills. Word is your firebending is astonishing. So… why don't you show me what you've got? I'd like to know how strong you are, exactly…"

Azula frowned and eyed the earthbender with curiosity. Now, that wasn't such a bad idea… well, there was the chance they would bring down the Palace in its entirety with their bending, but it was a risk she was willing to take, since her anger used to make her reckless as well. She had secretly wanted to have a good fight with Toph ever since she had watched her in the Arena all those months ago, the girl seemed really powerful for her age… just like she was. A match between them was likely to be legendary…

"Well, I won't deny it's an appealing proposal" said Azula, her voice coated with arrogance "Yet I'm afraid that, in my current mindset, I'll end up killing you by mistake"

"Oh, I'm so scared" said Toph, rolling her eyes "I would have thought that, after what I did to your Dog, you'd have known better than to underestimate me like that. You'll end up becoming a Princess puree after getting squashed between two rocks…"

"Ah, will I, now?" asked Azula, her lips forming a dangerous smirk "How about we settle, for once and for all, which one of us should be cowering in fear, then…?"

Toph chuckled and raised her hands, ready to boost herself all the way to where Azula was standing with the help of her earthbending…

"What are you doing, Toph?" sounded another voice on the entrance to the chamber, startling the two girls.

"Iroh?" asked the earthbender, turning around and looking at her sponsor in surprise. She had been so focused on her squabble with Azula that she hadn't noticed his presence until just now "Oh, nothing. We're just going to have a friendly fight"

"A friendly…?" asked Iroh, eying his niece with distrust.

Azula delivered a fierce glare at her uncle, and he merely gulped, wondering what had ticked her off this time. He was no stranger to Azula's tradition of locking herself up in the Agni Kai chamber to work out her anger whenever someone displeased her. He didn't know she still resorted to it nowadays…

"You told me she's a pretty tough bender" said Toph, enthusiastically "You said she might be stronger than her father already, so I wanted to try her out for myself!"

Iroh continued staring at Azula, a frown growing prominent on his brow. He didn't doubt Azula might be stronger than her father at this point… but that made him less willing to allow Toph to battle her. Yes, Toph was an amazing earthbender… but Azula looked mad enough to tear anything down with the strength of her blue fire. He wouldn't let his gladiator undertake the risk of fighting such a fearsome opponent unless there was something to gain from it… and there was nothing to gain from fighting Azula as she was right now.

"You're not going to try anyone out today, Toph" said the man, clasping her shoulder "I think Azula needs some time alone"

Azula was glad for once that her uncle had managed to see through her. She would have likely ended up killing Toph indeed, and doing that wouldn't be any use to her right now. The only person she felt like hurting at the moment was a blue-eyed Water Tribe man, and, against her better judgment, she wanted to kiss him far more than she wanted to hurt him.

"But she was okay with it!" Toph whined "C'mon, Spicy Princess! You know you want to fight me!"

Azula cringed at the new nickname. She couldn't tell if it was better or worse than the one before.

"Truth to be told, Bandit… I'll be siding with my Uncle for once" muttered Azula "You and I will have a chance to fight one day, when I'm not as displeased as I am. That way you might survive the battle"

Toph pouted in displeasure and shook her head, irritated.

"We'll see who'll survive when we clash, Jewel…" she grunted, leaving the room while stomping angrily on the ground. Azula couldn't help but feel a little pleased to see she wasn't the only frustrated person anymore.

Iroh looked at his niece one more time before leaving. He had no idea what had irked her in such a manner, but her bad mood didn't bode well for anyone. He took pride in being perfectly able to understand his niece… but that didn't mean he didn't fear her. He had been away from her bad temper for ten years, and back then she had been quite dangerous… he didn't even want to imagine how deadly she was now.

Without another word, he walked away. Azula sighed in relief once both the sponsor and the gladiator were gone. She looked down at the ground, a nasty feeling of loneliness making its way through her. Suddenly she didn't feel like training anymore.

She left the Agni Kai chamber and resolved to take a bath, hoping the warm water would rid her of the feelings that welled up within her. She closed her eyes once she was inside the tub, trying to relax… but her mind began feeding her with illusions of Sokka's hands trailing down her body. He had even groped her… no man had ever touched her like that before. She had never thought she would enjoy being caressed in such a manner. She had lacked physical contact with people during her entire life… during her childhood it was a little hard to take, seeing how the other kids she knew didn't have the same problem. But she had grown used to hardly ever being touched by anyone, and she had convinced herself it would be better that way…

Until now. She had been touched, kissed and held by the man that kept taking her breath away. By the man who had flirted with her for months now. The man who was at the core of most her thoughts and desires.

And he had jumped straight into the arms of the next woman he had seen.

She sank in the water at that dreadful thought, leaving only her nose and mouth out in the surface. She wanted to disappear, to fade away into oblivion… why had she been so stupid? She really didn't mean anything to him, she was only a girl he could look at and tease, yet she'd never be more than that. She didn't deserve more than that, likely…

She sighed and got out of the bath, feeling even worse than before. Her chest burned, but not with excitement… with disappointment. With sadness. With anger. And it was all directed at herself, because she had deluded herself into believing they could be something more… because, indeed, she hadn't given much thought to the matter, but, subconsciously, she had thought something else would be born between them. And discovering otherwise was heart-wrenching.

She clothed herself before hearing a knock on her bedroom door. She stared at it, her heart deluded suddenly with the thought that, perchance, Sokka might have come to her…

The door opened, and, to her dismay, a pair of old ladies stood behind it. How many times could she make a fool of herself in one day? Of course Sokka wouldn't come. He was likely having the time of his life on his date, kissing and touching Kyoshi's Heir, and hell knew if they would end up going farther than that… she grimaced at the thought and faced Lo and Li, her features slightly contorted with rage.

"What do you want?" she grunted, her fists balling.

"We heard you were distraught, Azula…" said Lo, looking at her with concerned eyes.

"We came to ask what was troubling you" Li spoke.

Azula couldn't help to let out a bark of disbelieving laughter.

"Please! I haven't seen either of you in weeks! Months, even! And all of sudden you give a damn about what I'm going through?!" she asked, glaring at them angrily.

"There's no need to be so angry at us, we are only trying to help" said Li.

"You might need advice and counsel, and that's what we came to provide" muttered Lo.

"Oh, really? So now you're going to give me advice, are you?" Azula shouted angrily "Where the hell were you when I needed real advice?! What sort of advice could you give me now when I've already made a mess of everything?!"

The twins seemed surprised by Azula's outburst. They knew her quite well, having taken care of her since she had been a toddler… yet they had taken a few steps back on their constant watch on Azula by the Princess's command some years ago. Azula never went to them for guidance and the twins were always forced to find her and attempt to support her in any possible way… but they knew Azula didn't want them around anymore, even if they didn't mean any harm to her.

"Azula, we are concerned for your wellbeing" they spoke at the same time. Azula's glare grew fiercer than before as she lost her temper.

"Well, don't be! I don't want either of you around me anymore! I haven't wanted you nearby for ages now! So leave! Get out of this Palace, out of my presence, and leave!"

The two ladies stared at the girl in disbelief before responding, attempting to retain their positions as the Princess's advisors somehow.

"Azula, you are very upset…"

"That decision is something you'll come to regret when you're level-headed…"

Azula laughed again and shook her head, not looking at them anymore.

"No, that decision is something I've been mulling over for too damn long and I hadn't found the willpower to say it out loud" she growled "But here it is, at last! And you can go beg my father to revoke my words, but my decision is final! Get out of here! I want nothing to do with either of you anymore! I don't need either one of you! So go! Leave!"

The two women stared at the Princess in shock. After all these years they knew better than to oppose Azula whenever she was this frantic… but for her to cast them away like this was unheard of. What had happened to the Princess? Why was she so furious? And had she really wanted them gone for a long time now? They both recalled the way she had pushed them away ever since a conversation a few years back…

Azula meant it. She had been thinking about throwing them away… and she had finally found the drive to do it. All those years of advising her and trying to support her had gone to waste.

And they had no choice but to obey her. The two women bowed down and walked away, closing the door after they left. Azula gritted her teeth and stabbed her bedding with a fist, slamming her hands down on her bed in despair until she collapsed, her shoulders shaking brusquely with each sob. Lo and Li… they were no good for her. They had been no good since a few years back, when Azula realized she couldn't count on them for what she planned to accomplish as a Fire Lord.

But deep down, Azula had somewhat hoped they would stay even if she had commanded otherwise. She wished someone would stay… but no one ever did. Not her mother, not Lo and Li, not Lu Ten, not her brother, not Sokka… nobody.

She cringed as she wept in silence; hating how helpless she felt and hating how badly she wished Sokka were with her right now.

Sokka took a deep breath as he stared at the tall glass before him, watching the ripples on the liquid's surface. The tavern was loud and messy: men kept brawling and yelling at all times, and the vibrations made his table and his glass shiver.

He couldn't even remember how many pints he'd had so far. He kept calling for refills, trying to use them to forget his problems. Amusing as it was, he had forgotten how many refills he'd asked for, yet he still couldn't stop thinking about Azula. Would this curse ever disappear? Would things ever return to normal? He doubted it. And because of that, he figured he would be frequenting the tavern quite often…

"You sure you can keep that one down?" asked an unfamiliar feminine voice beside him.

It wasn't surprising that people would approach him. The tavern was very crowded, and the table he had picked in the corner was, apparently, the sole place in the establishment where people could sit down to enjoy their drinks peacefully. Sokka lifted his head and looked at the woman who was taking a seat by him. His eyes snapped wide open and his heart began beating faster when he caught sight of the black, long and straight hair that ran down her back… but he calmed down when he realized the woman by his side wasn't Azula. Couldn't be Azula, really… why would the Princess ever come to such a crude place?

Sokka took notice of the woman's beauty right away. She wore tight clothes that seemed to mold around her body in all the right ways… She wore dark makeup on her eyes and lips, and Sokka caught sight of a snake tattooed on her shoulder. The drink on her hand was even larger than his.

"I've had more refills than I can remember…" mumbled Sokka. Was his hearing fuzzy, or was his voice somehow faded…? "Pretty sure I can take this one too"

"You seem to think you have good endurance… do you, really?" asked the woman, raising an eyebrow "You don't look all that resistant to me"

"I haven't thrown up yet, if that's what you want to know" said Sokka, shrugging

"In that case, you're a man alright" she replied, taking a sip from her glass as she watched the brawl a few tables away "So… what's the story? Did she dump you?"

Sokka frowned and glared at the woman.

"You think there's a girl in the world that would dump a guy like me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow arrogantly.

"I'm just being logical" said the woman "You're alone in a bar, with a look on your face that says you've been through hell and back again… if your problem is a girl, it's only natural you'd end up coming here. It's why most men would come to a place like this"

"And you just drop by this bar and talk to every sulking man you find?" asked Sokka, bitterly

The woman couldn't help but chuckle and look at him with curiosity.

"Truth is, I'm not from around here. I'm hunting for a job, and since I was nearby, I decided to drop by a pub and enjoy myself some. I normally would rather go brawl…"

"Really?" asked Sokka, surprised.

"But I'm a little late and I have no clue what they're fighting about, so I'll leave them be. Yours was the only empty table around, so I decided to pay you a visit"

"And since you're so tough, you think you're perfectly entitled to sit down uninvited" Sokka said, grumpily.

"This is a tavern, kid" said the woman "Nobody is uninvited"

"Huh…?"

"And since you don't know that, I think my previous guess is completely spot-on. You're not the type to frequent taverns" she said "So… who's the heartbreaker?"

"Y-you… what gives you the right to pry into anyone's business just like that?!" Sokka squeaked, glaring at her.

The woman sighed and looked at him, her brown eyes displaying honesty.

"I've seen lots of men like you, brooding in the corners of pubs, trying to mind their own business and doing their best to get ignored by the rest of the world. They want to drink and forget, but not even the strongest booze will be of any use. Even if you managed to let go of whatever's bothering you it'll come back at you again when you wake up with a nice hangover to spice up all your problems"

Sokka looked away for a moment before glaring at her again.

"S-so…?"

"So, what most those men need is to talk their problems out" she said "It's not going to solve the issues, but it helps them to think clearly. And since I have nothing to do in my spare time, I figured I'd offer to sit here to hear you complain about how your girlfriend dumped you…"

"She isn't my girl-… and she didn't dump… W-will you just stop?!" Sokka yelled, a vein pulsating in his temple as the woman chuckled at his reaction.

"Well, there's a girl, alright" she said, sipping her drink again "Care to tell me the story now, or do you need me to continue making a fool out of you by coaxing the truth out without your awareness?"

Sokka sighed and dropped on the table, holding his head up with his hand as he eyed the woman, feeling defeated.

"I suppose talking this crap out might make me feel better…" he muttered "But first… Who are you, exactly?"

"You don't ask for people's identities in a pub" said the woman

"I'll tell you who I am if you tell me who you are" replied Sokka, smiling a little.

"Well, at least there's a smile there" she muttered "My name is June. I'm a bounty hunter"

Sokka's eyes widened in surprise and he looked at her in awe.

"A… a bounty hunter?! L-like, a real bounty hunter?! That's really cool!"

June raised an eyebrow as she sipped more of her drink. The man had started to look like an over-excited little boy.

"It's not as much fun as you might think" she muttered "It takes a lot to make a bounty hunter. I have it easier than most because I have a companion who could track a rat a continent away. I finished a mission on the docks today, so I came down here for a few drinks, just as I said earlier"

"I see" said Sokka, nodding

"And now it's your turn to reveal who you are, Mystery Man" said June, looking at him.

Sokka chuckled and sighed, not even knowing where to start.

"Well… I'm Sokka. And I'm a gladiator"

June raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down, surprised.

"You don't seem as built as most men I've seen in Arenas over at the Earth-… Former Earth Kingdom. So, is that why your girlfriend dumped you? She doesn't like seeing you get beaten up by big guys?"

"Huh? No, no, no!" said Sokka, shaking his head "And as I said, there's no girlfriend!"

"Fine, fine… what's the story, then?" asked June, smiling again.

Sokka sighed and gulped down most of his drink before beginning to tell his tale. This woman was a stranger, she didn't know who he was exactly… and he would keep it that way as he told her about what troubled him. He didn't want her or anyone else to know his distress had been caused by none other than the Fire Lord's daughter.

"Well, the thing is… there's a girl, yeah" said Sokka, and he rolled his eyes when June smirked at his confession "The thing with her is that I… I used to hate her, and she hated me as well. And that's the way it should have stayed, always"

"Why?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"Because she's… she's completely out of my league" said Sokka, shaking his head "It's forbidden. I can't dare get close to her"

June seemed considerably surprised. She eyed the Water Tribe man with confusion, wondering what sort of woman could be out of his league.

"Why would she be out of your league?" she asked "I think you're not giving yourself enough credit …"

"You've got it wrong, it's not because of my looks or hers…" said Sokka, shaking his head "It's because she's the daughter of…"

He stopped in his tracks before revealing the truth about his predicament. No… nobody should know the actual identity of the woman featured on his every thought. Nobody could know.

"Of a nobleman" he finished, thinking it wasn't exactly a lie. The Fire Lord was a nobleman… the highest ranked nobleman in the Fire Nation, but a nobleman nonetheless.

"Oh… she's the daughter of your sponsor or something?" asked June, finishing her drink and eyeing Sokka with curiosity.

"Uh… y-yeah, she is" Sokka muttered, lying blatantly now. If he admitted the girl was his sponsor he would reveal her identity altogether. From what he knew, Azula was still the only female sponsor in the Gladiator League.

"Talk about forbidden" said June, smirking "Sounds like fun, though"

"Fun?! There's nothing fun about this!" yelled Sokka, grimacing.

"I beg to differ. A high-society girl and a mere slave… it's an interesting combination" she declared "You're worlds apart, yet you long to be together… is it?"

"N-no" Sokka grunted, placing his drink on the table harshly "I don't… I don't want to be with her. No, not with her. With anyone but her"

"Okay…" said June, sighing "I'm completely confused now"

Sokka sighed and shook his head before focusing in explaining the story properly.

"Look, she and I… as I said before, we hated each other. But, somehow, we grew to get by one another. Fact is, she even did a few things for me that I would have never expected her to do. I thought maybe she wasn't as bad as I thought she was. She's just… she's one of a kind, but not in a good way"

"Huh, I see…" she muttered, smirking. This story was starting to sound a lot more like a man confessing, unwillingly, that he was completely in love with a woman.

"She's always manipulative, cruel, vicious… she gets away with every little thing she could ask for" said Sokka, shaking his head "She's a menace most the time… but the problem is, I forgot she was one. One day, I just… I couldn't even remember all those issues about her. I couldn't see them. She suddenly became someone else in my eyes. But… she wasn't someone else. She was the same. So… the moron who changed was me. I started looking at her with different eyes…"

"Can I ask why?" muttered June.

"I think it's because… because we began spending way too much time together" he muttered "Before, we were apart for a long time, and I didn't have to worry about her. But now, with every day that comes and goes, all I do is wonder if I'll see her again. And when she shows up I get stupidly happy, and we start joking and teasing each other… it's been fun hanging with her, even. But then…"

"Then?" asked June, raising an eyebrow. She thought it was a little odd for Sokka's cheeks to grow redder all of sudden, and not because of the alcohol.

Sokka sighed and tilted his head down, completely embarrassed.

"I'm not… I'm not proud of it, but I… I dreamt about her"

"You… dreamt about her?"

"Yeah, and it wasn't a simple, regular dream" he mumbled "She was… w-well, she was… giving me a… well, y-you can fill the blanks, can't you?!"

June raised an inquisitive eyebrow and a playful smirk showed up on her face.

"I don't think I can. There are so many possibilities… giving you a pet? Giving you a bucket of komodo sausages? Giving…?"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" said Sokka, growing slightly impatient. Between gritted teeth, he muttered "S-she was giving me a blowjob, okay?"

"Oh, my" said June, sarcastically "Such a dirty-minded fellow…"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm just amused" she muttered, smiling "I'll have you know you seem a lot more innocent than I figured… being so shy about admitting you had an erotic dream? What's with that?"

"I… It's not like I'd never had erotic dreams!" he blurted out "Just… never with her!"

"Oh, really, now? Who was the previous lucky girl, then?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"A woman I met back in Hui… what the hell am I talking about now?!" he exclaimed, glaring at June, who couldn't help but cackle at his reaction "Quit harassing me! If that's what you came for, you can just leave me alone!"

"So dramatic" she said, once she was done laughing "So, what's so wrong about having an erotic dream about your girl giving you a…?"

"She's not my girl!" yelled Sokka "She sure as hell will never be mine"

June eyed him with interest at that last phrase, noticing he said it with anger and frustration… but there was also a hint of resignation on his voice. And that hint cleared up how badly he wished his mystery lady would become his, no matter if he tried to cover it up with his displeasure.

"Fine, fine… not your girl. What's the big deal anyway? Men dream about stuff like that all the time… why did you come drown your sorrow in liquor over a dream?"

"I'm not finished" Sokka muttered, his hand going to his forehead "Ever since I had that dream, I… I started behaving weirdly around her. I couldn't help but smile and try to make her laugh, and whenever we looked into each other's eyes I just wanted to…"

"Ask her to make your dream come true?" asked June, chuckling

"Uh… y-yeah, something like that" said Sokka, sighing "It went on like that for a week, and I realized I couldn't keep behaving as I did. She was, as you said before, a world away… she would never look at me in the way I was looking at her. She was too far away from me. But then… we had a weird moment. A few of them, really"

"Weird moment…?" asked June

"Well, we just stared into the other's eyes, I think" said Sokka, sighing "And, damn, those eyes… I see so many things in them. But that's only the surface, you know? There's so much more underneath… but then as I stared at her I realized she was looking back at me in the same way I was looking at her! As if she were… as if she…"

"Was in love with you?" finished June

"I… I don't think… I don't think this is love, really" muttered Sokka, narrowing his eyes as his chest pained him.

"Oh, you don't think so…?" asked June, amused "Well, let's put that aside for now… what happened then?"

"She had to leave me for a moment, and I just stopped to think… and I realized that, even if she liked me back, this could never happen" he muttered "Maybe we long for each other, but we can't be anything. We can hardly be friends, there's no way we could become something more than that. So I… I made up my mind to get over her"

"And… how did you do that?" asked June, suspicious

"That's… the biggest issue in the story" admitted Sokka "I met another girl just a little while afterwards… and I asked her out"

"Oh… and then a jealous fiend came to bite you in the rear?" asked June, chuckling

"Something of the sort" muttered Sokka "It was even worse than you think, because… I asked the second girl out right in front of the first one"

June's eyes snapped open and she looked at him in shock.

"Okay… either you're really brave, or you're really stupid"

"I'd say it's the latter" Sokka said, sighing as a hand went up to his head "The second girl said she'd go out with me… and I thought this would work out great. I mean, it would probably be a mess at first, but with this, the first girl would likely realize that I can't be with her! The other girl, she's a slave just like I am. We're on equal standings, so for me to be with her… well, it wouldn't be such a problem"

"Huh… and how exactly did the first girl take this explanation to your actions?" asked June, curious

"She… well, I didn't get to explain…" said Sokka, sighing "I was trying to act as if the attraction between us wasn't really there, you know? Ignoring it, making it seem like I was far more into the second girl than her. Then I said a lot of stupid things, no denial… b-but that's when she… s-she…"

"She?" asked June, raising an eyebrow

"She kissed me" Sokka's hands were tugging at his hair now as he muttered the truth with a small voice "She… she kissed me"

June raised an eyebrow at first, but then she smirked.

"Now that's some girl…" she admitted "Making you see you belong to her, wasn't she?"

"W-well, yeah! But that's just wrong, okay?!" Sokka retorted "It was a damn amazing kiss, I won't deny it! But then she pulled away and muttered 'have fun on your date'!"

June couldn't help but stare at Sokka in awe

"She said that?! Really?! Damn, she sure sounds like a handful" she declared, her shoulders shaking as she laughed "You got yourself on a very troublesome boat, gladiator. That kind of girl is way too much for you to handle, I'll have you know… but she's going to get you, even if you don't belong with her. Brace yourself. Before you know it, you'll wake up in bed with her"

"Huh… I rather doubt it" Sokka grunted "I don't want to wake up in bed with her! W-well, okay, I do! But I won't!"

"If she gets her way, no doubt you will" said June "So… did you have fun on the date?"

Sokka's head fell onto the table as he sighed again.

"No, of course not" he mumbled "It was a lame date because I could only think about the other girl. I'm a disaster. The worst part is that the second girl is really nice and pretty, and if I had a relationship with her, I'm sure things could work out…"

"But the heart wants what the heart wants…" said June.

"Apparently" Sokka replied, distraught "I was the worst date she could have asked for. And honestly, I had it coming. She was too good for me, and I blew it all… and I just can't stop thinking about the other girl anyway!"

"So… explain to me, why did you try another girl anyway?" asked June

"I thought maybe I was just sexually frustrated" said Sokka, shrugging "I figured that was a large part of my problem, and that maybe I just needed to be with a girl, any girl, and my crush on her would fade away eventually. But it didn't work…"

June frowned and looked at him, slightly confused

"I'm lost. You said your date had been lousy, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah… so?" asked Sokka, raising his head and looking back at her

"So… unless that other girl is stupid enough to get it on with you after a bad date, your plan wasn't even executed. Or did you manage to get into her pants anyway…?"

"N-no, I…" said Sokka, shaking his head "I didn't, no. The most she did was kiss my cheek before parting ways"

"Well, then, your idea of getting your frustrations worked out on another girl wasn't even played out"

"No, it wasn't" sighed Sokka "But even if it had been, it would be the same thing. I'm too lost to be saved anymore. I just lust after her like a fool… because I know nothing can ever happen. And even if I try going with another girl, all I'll do is think about her…"

June frowned and rested her elbows on the table, thoughtful.

"She's all I can think about" Sokka continued "It's as if she had poisoned me, and there's no antidote. The one thing I thought would be an antidote… I don't think it'll work"

"Well, you wouldn't know unless you actually went all the way with another woman, would you?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm positive it would be useless" said Sokka, shaking his head "Even if I kissed someone else, I'd just be thinking about her"

"How can you be so sure?" asked June, skeptical

"I just am" said Sokka with a sigh

"Huh" said June, folding her arms over her chest "It seems I have to break this to you, then, boy. If you really can't get her out of your mind no matter what, then I suppose it means you're in love with her, no matter how you try to deny it"

Sokka clenched his teeth and shook his head.

"No… I can't… No. She's off limits. I can't be with her, I can't be in love with her! Not after all she's done to me! Not after all I've been through because of her!"

June sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Can you make up your mind?" she asked "Do you love her, or don't you?"

"I don't!" Sokka claimed

June seemed to grow irritated by his statement and she looked at him with a grimace. Sokka sighed and shook his head, looking at her apologetically.

"I just… don't want to be, okay?" he muttered "The whole point of going to Suki was to try and get over… her. But that was no use…"

"I insist, though" said June "If you made it nowhere with that… Suki, as you just called her, you really don't know for certain if it was any use or not"

Sokka raised an eyebrow, confused

"You're saying… I should go see Suki again after that horrible date?" he asked, shocked.

"You're not as sharp as I thought you were, Sokka…" she snickered.

"W-well, what are you saying, then?!"

June chuckled and licked her lips, eyeing him with narrowed eyes.

"You really don't need it to be that girl, you know? The only thing you can't change is the fact that you've got a crush on the nobleman's daughter. But the second girl… the second girl is merely a ploy to trick your body and get rid of your sexual frustration. But if sexual frustration isn't the problem, you'd really have a problem. Bottomline is, you can get any woman to fill in for the second girl. It doesn't have to be 'Suki'"

Sokka frowned and looked at his almost empty glass before drinking the last remnants of the liquor, wiping his mouth with his hand after he was done.

"So… you think I should just go find another woman?" asked Sokka, frowning "Just so that I get laid to get rid of my frustration?"

"It's a possibility…"

"Even if it's not bound to work?" said Sokka, skeptical "And, for starters, what sort of woman would be okay with being used just by a guy like me to work out my sexual frustration on her?"

June couldn't help but smirk widely, shaking her head in disbelief.

"How exactly should I spell this out for you, gladiator?" she asked, raising an eyebrow

Sokka frowned first before realizing what the woman was suggesting. He blushed deeply and looked at her in utter shock. No denial, she was quite beautiful… but that had to be the lowest thing he could ever do. He began shaking his head and June looked at him in surprise.

"Why… I'm not your type, I take it?" she asked

"No, no, no! T-that's not…" said Sokka, his flush growing more prominent "M-maybe you're way too much of my type, actually…"

June chuckled and looked at him inquisitively

"Then I suppose I'm the ideal person to try and get that other woman out of your mind" she whispered.

"But… I can't just use you like that!" said Sokka, grimacing "That's something awful to do to anyone! And after you've put up with my rambling, you're actually going to do me another favor?! J-June… please, spare yourself. I don't think I'm even that good in bed…"

"I'm the one who'll decide if you're any good or not" said June, taking out her purse and dropping a few coins on the table. Sokka's stomach began twisting with anxiety, thinking this couldn't be happening… "Come on, then. I've got a room a few inns away"

"June… y-you can't just… this is… why the hell would you do this?!" he asked

"Maybe you're not the only one who's sexually frustrated" she said, smirking "I can't even remember the last time I had some…"

"But this is…!"

"You can just shut your mouth now, lover boy" said June "This is going to be plain, thoughtless sex. There are no strings attached. You only have to do your thing and that's all"

"But… You don't deserve something like this" muttered Sokka

"Deserve it?" asked June, raising an eyebrow "I'm not doing this because I think I deserve it. I'm doing this because you look like you'd be a good partner in bed and you need to find out if you're in love with your girl or not. It's a win-win situation for the both of us. I don't see a problem with it. Unless, of course, you're already so devoted to her you refuse to be with another woman…"

"That's… n-no" said Sokka, grimacing. That wasn't the reason why he was refusing… he was refusing because he was certain this would be no use, and he had already pestered the bounty hunter enough as it was…

"Then quit refusing, will you?" said June, smirking down at him "Come on. It's time you find out whether you're in love with your girl or not"


	28. Chapter 28

His breath came in short gasps as he plunged himself into her warmth repeatedly. His hips were moving brusquely back and forth, as if he believed he could kill the woman in his arms with his strong thrusts. His anger, his disappointment, his fury… all of them fueled his body, infusing him with the power he needed to force her to apologize for everything she'd done to him.

Yes, Azula had to understand he was not to be toyed with. She had to learn to face the consequences of her actions. And he was more than happy to be the one to deliver those consequences with his manhood.

Her desperate moans made him smirk with malice. He had no idea if she was enjoying it or not, but he hardly cared about that at this point. He was intent on making Azula scream his name, on leading her over the edge of insanity to teach her the lesson of the day. She had been the one to kiss him before and he had every right to open her eyes to reality: by attacking him like that she had signed on for this ride, even if she hadn't been aware of it. Because the innocent Princess had no idea that men like him wouldn't stop at just a kiss. He wanted more. He needed more. And he would get more, no matter if she didn't want him to.

Yet he was sliding in and out of her damp enclosure with such ease he was certain he wasn't getting back at her at all. She wanted it, damn it… he was playing into her hand again. The roughness didn't bother her at all, did it? His hands were settled on her hips, her back facing him as her black hair grew more disheveled with each of his thrusts. He tried to stop the groans from leaving his throat, but it became increasingly difficult every time he felt that pleasant friction wrapping around his length. He didn't want her to know he was enjoying their tryst so much…

Her pale skin beckoned him to lean down and press his lips to her shoulder, sucking at her soft skin as he continued moving in and out of her. Her body was hot and sweaty and her breath was coming in gasps. Dominating her was just as fun as he had always thought it would be. At last, he was the one in command in their twisted relationship.

He kept moving, his hands circling her waist now as he held her closely, entering her completely. Her legs were completely separated, so much that he couldn't help but be amazed at her flexibility. Yet he held back all possible compliments as he continued filling her up, driving her to the edge of the experience as his shaft brushed against all the right places. With a scream, the Princess finally reached her orgasm, her walls contracting around his cock in such pleasant ways that he was unable to hold back his own climax anymore. He continued moving as release himself, her name slipping from his lips as they both finished together.

Sokka panted, his eyesight blurry as he looked at the woman before him. She had been supporting her weight on the bed with her arms as he straddled her from behind, but her excitement had been so unbearable she had collapsed with her toes curled and her black fingernails clawing at the sheets.

Black fingernails.

Sokka's eyes grew wide in shock as reality struck him with the force of a thunderbolt. The snake tattooed on the woman's shoulder seemed to glare at him accusingly as he began realizing what he'd done and who he had done it with…

"Damn… damn…" he muttered, uncoupling their bodies and stumbling through the room, his hands on his hair.

June turned around, a smile spreading over her dark lips.

"W-wow… you sure know what you're doing…" she said, chuckling.

"J-June…" Sokka gasped, aghast "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

June raised an inquisitive eyebrow and sat up on the bed with difficulty, her body slightly strained after the intense activity they had been engaged in just moments ago. She looked back at the gladiator, noticing how troubled he seemed to be. She hadn't missed the way he had whispered a name as he thrust into her, but she had been too exhilarated by his movements to pay any attention to what he was saying. So long as he didn't stop, she didn't care if he pretended she was another woman.

"Your girl will be really lucky if she ever manages to get into your pants" she said "She's in for a treat"

"S-she's not going to be in for anything…" said Sokka, shaking his head.

Yes, he had worked out his sexual frustration for now. But he still couldn't get Azula out of his head. Instead of solving his problems, everything had grown worse. He felt treacherous. He felt soiled. He'd had sex with a woman while thinking about Azula. He had betrayed Azula, betrayed June by imagining she was someone else and he had betrayed himself most of all. He had known their fling would be no use, yet he had gone through with it regardless. He was truly despicable.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered again, unable to raise his gaze to meet hers.

June rolled her eyes as she picked up her clothes. Their meeting had developed into what had been, most likely, the weirdest sex she had ever had. At first he had been awkward, insecure… but all of sudden he became more focused, more intense. All of sudden he had began devouring her and he had turned her around, taking her from behind. And she knew why he had changed his demeanor halfway through their encounter: it had been around then that he had begun whispering that other name. Had he noticed he was calling out for the girl he was infatuated with? June rather doubted it.

"You don't owe anyone an apology" she said as she began dressing. Sokka collapsed in the floor, appalled.

"I was an idiot to think this would be any use, June" he muttered, shaking his head "I'm… I'm too damn far gone to be saved anymore"

June chuckled and sighed, looking at him with derision.

"Well, at least it was fun while it lasted" she whispered "You won't deny it was good, or will you?"

"It… it was" he admitted "But I…"

"But you were thinking about her, yes" June interrupted him. Sokka grimaced, disgusted with himself. How more shameful could he become?

"I'm sorry…"

"Cut it out" said June, her patience running short "I don't care who you were thinking about. You performed your duty just as you had to, and that's the only thing that matters to me. So stop whining. It's getting annoying"

Sokka looked up at her, grimacing. June was already dressed up, her face contorting into a frown as she glared glacially at him. Sokka gulped and nodded, still disgusted with himself, but determined not to let it show so that she wouldn't be bothered by him.

June entered the bathroom and left him to get dressed by himself. Sokka slid into his clothes, his thoughts in complete disarray. The alcohol was blurring his mind a little, but not enough for him not to think straight. He was feeling quite bad about what had happened… yet June seemed perfectly fine with everything. She even knew he had been thinking about another woman as he pleased her and she didn't care.

It took him only a few more seconds to realize he had been used for sex.

The thought didn't make him feel better, but it helped him think lesser of the woman on the next room. Now that was something lowly to do… had she been plotting to get into his pants ever since she saw him in the tavern? He frowned at the thought. No, that was unlikely. Even if she seemed to be as devilish as Azula, she probably had decided to turn him into a sex partner during their conversation… right?

He frowned when he thought about the Princess. He almost felt as if he'd just had sex with her, seeing how his overactive imagination had convinced him that June was Azula as they rolled under the sheets. But it really hadn't been her. The forbidden fruit still lay far from his grasp, staring at him mockingly from the top of the tree. Oh, he had done so many stupid things in a single day… and it was all her fault. Everything he had done, he had done because of her.

He snarled at the thought as he tied his belt. She should be pleased now, shouldn't she? His life was an utter disaster. He had been a fool to claim otherwise. Just as he had thought earlier, she had given him many things and she could make them disappear with the blink of an eye. And she already had. The minute he had said he was happy she had taken it upon herself to make his life miserable just because she could. And he wouldn't forgive her for that. He couldn't forgive her.

June reentered the bedroom to find Sokka dressed and ready to take off. The stern look on his face made it clear he had gone back to the brooding man she had met in the tavern rather than the apologetic brat she had been dealing with just now. She definitely liked the former better than the latter.

"You're done saying sorry at last?" she asked, tying up her hair in a half-knot.

"I guess" said Sokka, sighing "Say… why did you do it? Why did you bother talking with me and going to bed with me, of all people? I'm trying to figure it out, but…"

June rolled her eyes and smirked at him.

"Has anyone ever told you that you think too much?" she asked "Nothing is as twisted as you think"

Sokka blinked a few times before shaking his head in disagreement.

"Things have been complicated in my life for a long time now. Even if something simple shows up, I'll brace myself for the worst-case scenario…"

"And what exactly would be the worst-case scenario here?" asked June, raising an eyebrow.

"I figured you would have been tricking me just to get into my pants from the start…" muttered Sokka, feeling quite stupid as he spoke. June rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"I'd have to be some incredible evil mastermind to figure I could have sex with you from the moment I saw you" she said "Spending so much time with that girl of yours has damaged your brain. Not all of us are as clever as she is"

"Yeah, probably not…" said Sokka, clenching his fists as he thought about Azula again.

"So… you proved your theory was right, I guess" said June, folding her arms over her chest "You doing alright?"

Sokka shook his head, his hand going up to his forehead.

"No, I'm not… I can't be in love with her, June. It's… it's so twisted for me to fall for her that it's not even funny…"

June seemed to differ, but she had enough sense not to give out her opinion for once.

"Well, the first thing you have to do is accept it" she whispered "Once you embrace your reality, you'll be able to move onto the second step: deciding what you'll do about it"

"What can I do?" Sokka asked, frowning "It's not as if I could actually do something about this. Believe me, if I had a say upon this I wouldn't be in love with her altogether"

"You don't have a say upon your feelings, sure" said June, shrugging "But you've got to decide if you'll run away from them or face them head on. Confront the situation, Sokka. You can find a solution even if everything seems hopeless"

Sokka stared at her in surprise as she delivered him her wisdom. June walked towards the room's exit then, ready to take off again.

"I don't know what you're going to do now, but I'll be off to the pub again"

"What? You're going to go down there again?" asked Sokka

"Isn't that what I just said?" asked June, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him. It was clear the man's mind was completely overwhelmed by the latest happenings. From what June could tell, he hadn't had a very nice day and her intervention had, likely, only made everything worse. Well, at the very least she had helped him work off his sexual frustrations… that had to count for something, right?

"Y-yeah, what I meant was… why?" asked Sokka, puzzled

"I didn't get to drink enough, and I might be able to get involved in the brawls this time…" said June, smiling "In any case, you can stay in here for a while if you want to. You could use some time to clear your head"

"Yeah, I think I could…" said Sokka "But I should go home for the night"

"Then this is where we part" said June, looking straight at him "You're not half as bad a person as you think you are, Sokka. Good luck with Lady Mysterious. Maybe you'll manage to overcome her spell if you work hard enough… or maybe you'll be stuck in her grasp forever. But it's all up to you. Fight back or give up… it's your choice, Sokka"

The gladiator was slightly surprised at first, but he nodded promptly at her advice.

"It was nice meeting you. See you around" she finished, leaving the room without another word.

Sokka's back found the nearest wall and he rested against it as he tried to make some sense out of his blurry mind. He was somewhat pleased that June hadn't said anything about seeing each other again… he had landed himself a lucky hit with the woman. Just as she had promised, there were no strings attached to their one-night-stand. She didn't seem one to commit to relationships, and, in his current state, neither was he. She had been, truly, the right girl at the right time. But the time for getting involved with random women foolishly was over now. Because, just as she had said, he had proved his theory right: he couldn't get Azula off his mind.

To make everything worse, he could tell his performance in bed had improved when he had started to imagine June was Azula. He had been fortunate enough that her dark hair and pale skin had helped him to indulge in said illusion, but, for some reason, he was convinced that sex with Azula wouldn't feel like that. He couldn't place what was missing… other than the fact that June wasn't actually Azula, of course.

And that was, most likely, the biggest problem. Sokka sighed and yanked his hair in despair. He couldn't accept being in love with her… it would only make everything worse than it already was. She was his personal brand of poison… but there had to be an antidote out there somewhere. Other women wouldn't be the ones to save him from his doom, he was perfectly convinced of that after what all of what had happened today. But there had to be something else, anything…

June's words rang in his ears again. Once he accepted his situation, he had to decide whether to confront the issue or run away from it. Had he come to accept it already? No, he didn't accept it. He couldn't. But he could go down to the next step right away, couldn't he?

What would he do? Run away from it? What did running entail? He didn't know. Truth to be told, he didn't feel like running anywhere. Confronting the problem, then…?

Oh, yes. That was quite an appealing idea.

Going down to Azula and giving her a piece of his mind. Letting her know she wouldn't get her way even if she thought otherwise…

He walked to the door with a determined frown on his face, leaving the room after deciding what his next destination would be: the Fire Nation Royal Palace.

Azula had always liked sitting on the Palace's open hallways. Staring at the gardens from afar would soothe her whenever she felt troubled. Focusing on smaller things helped her forget what distressed her, even if said focus consisted on laughing under her breath whenever the turtle ducks in the pond would trip and fall as they tried to walk on firm ground instead of swimming.

A few hours ago she had been summoned to see her father, seeing how Lo and Li had told the Fire Lord about the decision his daughter had made. Ozai had been quite surprised at the developments that could have led Azula to fire the two women that had supported her since childhood, but when he saw the determined look on the Princess's face he had realized Azula had her reasons to send them away. He didn't need to know what those reasons were; all he needed to do was trust his daughter's sharp judgment. If she wanted the two old ladies away, he would approve of her decision.

Azula had been surprised by her father's support. She had half expected him to realize she had been crying even though she had done everything she could to make herself look as perfect as ever, but she feared he would notice a sliver of unusual weakness in her demeanor anyways. She felt weaker, and her father wasn't one to tolerate weaknesses. It was the reason why he had always preferred her over Zuko: because she could always pretend to be flawless even when she was dying inside.

The more she thought about it now, the stupider she felt. Yes, perhaps Lo and Li had it coming… but pushing them away so promptly could have meant trouble on the long run. She had been too fortunate this time, since her father hadn't asked any questions regarding what had driven her to send them away, but she knew she wouldn't be as lucky if she did something so reckless a second time. She had to keep herself in check… she couldn't continue slipping up because of her circumstances with Sokka.

He had turned her life around, she had to admit that… but she couldn't let things carry on like this. This wasn't her. She wasn't one to undergo emotional outbursts, she was one to face predicaments and solve them in the shrewdest way. But it didn't matter how much she tried to think of a solution to her issues with Sokka, there didn't seem to be an outcome in which she could triumph in this struggle. At least, her mind couldn't provide her with one at the moment… and allowing her heart's desires lead the way would bring her to a breakdown just like the one she had faced earlier, and she had to avoid that at all costs.

"Princess, Lo and Li have left the Palace" said the Captain of her Royal Guard, approaching her from down the hall "They'll be going back to their house at Ember Island… i-in case you wished to know"

The Captain stammered when he realized Azula wouldn't be too interested in the fate of her old advisors if she had been the one to send them away in the first place. He froze when he realized the Princess was sitting by herself right in front of the fence that secluded the hall from the gardens, her long hair down as she wore one of her red-and-gold sleeping gowns.

Azula frowned when she heard his voice, but she refrained from sending him away rudely, no matter how badly she wished to do it. She couldn't let her temper get to the best of her again, especially seeing how the Captain had never done anything to displease her, unlike Lo and Li.

"Good" she muttered, her voice cracking as she spoke. She cringed at that.

The Captain sighed as he looked at the Princess. He had noticed she was behaving in an unusual manner when they left the Arena, given how she had left her gladiator behind and had ordered them to leave promptly. He suspected something had happened between them, but he didn't have the heart to ask Azula what it was for a few reasons: firstly, he didn't really want to know what had happened, and secondly, she would likely never confide such personal information in him. She hardly trusted anyone, and, without a doubt, he wasn't amongst the people she relied upon the most.

Regardless… he cared about her. He was assigned to her, and his job was to stand by her side to assist her no matter the circumstances. His life was devoted to protecting Azula… and seeing how he had been unable to shield her from whatever had hurt her, he could at least try to heal her even if he had no idea how to do it.

Azula's eyes narrowed when she realized the man had sat by her side with his legs crossed. She could sense he was quite nervous about what he was doing, but he wasn't going to pull away anyways. And what was he doing anyways?

"I… uh…" muttered the Captain, feeling incredibly stupid "I'm…"

"What do you want?" asked Azula promptly, making him jump.

"Princess…" said the Captain, looking at her and sighing "I know I must look like a fool before you right now… but I just thought I should tell you that… that I can tell something bothers you"

"Oh, joy" said Azula, sarcastically "You're such a genius, Captain. You deserve a medal as a reward for your amazing insight"

The Captain grimaced under his mask when she snapped at him like that. He knew conveying his thoughts to her wouldn't be an easy matter, but her sharp remarks only made his job more difficult. Well, if there was something Azula excelled at, it was making his job more difficult in a large number of ways…

"Uh… what I meant to say was…" he muttered, looking away from her "I will not question what happened today with Lo and Li. If you sent them away, you must have had a good reason to do it"

"Right" said Azula, glaring at him sideways "So…?"

"General Iroh told them that you seemed upset…" said the Captain "I overheard their conversation…"

"Why, aren't you quite the eavesdropper…" Azula muttered, making him cringe.

"I-it comes with the job, Princess" he replied "People tend to forget guards aren't simply statues standing by the doors… we have all our senses devoted to the task at hand"

"So you're saying you've heard many things you shouldn't have…?"

"I… I suppose I have, but I shall not disclose any of it if it's not necessary for me to do so" said the Captain, trying to dodge her verbal jabs "It's not what I wanted to speak about anyways…"

"Right" muttered Azula, frowning "So it's my uncle's fault that Lo and Li showed up in my room, then…"

"Indeed" said the Captain "Yet… I can tell that whatever they tried to accomplish by having you talk matters out with them wasn't bound to work if they imposed themselves upon you"

Azula's frown deepened. So if he knew Lo and Li hadn't achieved their goal by going to her when she hadn't called for them… why did it seem he was trying to do the very same thing now?

"I understand you can't rely on people who treat you like that" he continued "Which is why I… I'm not going to do the same thing"

"In that case, what are you trying to pull, Captain?" asked Azula, curious "If you aren't trying to convince me to open up to you and tell you all about my life's problems… what are you doing?"

"I'm… I'm doing my best not to bother you" he said, nervously "Because I don't wish to be a hindrance to you. Yet… I thought you should know that, even though I won't pester you about what troubles you, I'm still nearby in case you need someone to talk to"

Azula looked at him with derisive eyes.

"At what point in time did you think our relationship had reached the point in which I would feel comfortable by talking about personal matters with you?"

"A-at none, Princess" the Captain admitted "I understand you wouldn't wish to share your innermost thoughts with a mere guard…"

"Then what are you doing, Captain?" asked Azula, glaring at him "What do you think you can accomplish with this?"

The Captain sighed and dropped his head promptly.

"As a guard, I'm obliged to follow your every order. If I were to displease you in the way Lo and Li did, I'd be certain to earn the same punishment… and I would find myself with no other choice but to leave if you order me to do so. Yet that's what I would do as a soldier… not what I would do as a friend"

Azula raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Since when were they friends…?

"I know it may seem rash of me to speak like this" muttered the Captain "But I… I have the feeling that, rather than a guard, you might be in need for a friend. Standing by the sidelines as I have for all this time has proven to be useless. You… you were hurt when I should have been protecting you, Princess… and if there's a chance I can amend my mistakes by helping you cure your wounds through any means, I'll take it gladly"

Azula frowned again and looked at the Captain with puzzled eyes.

"What are you trying to say, Captain?" she asked

"I… I'm not sure" he admitted, grimacing under his mask "I think I'm saying that I understand if you wish to be alone… but if there's any chance I might be able to help you through your troubled times, I'll do it"

Azula looked away from the man promptly, slightly moved by his words. Yet…

"I appreciate your devotion, Captain" said Azula "But I don't think there's anything you could do for me as of now. You said you wouldn't make me talk this out if I didn't want to… well, I don't. Truthfully, I'd rather be alone for now"

"I understand" said the Captain, nodding "In any case… I'll be nearby in case you change your mind, or if you need my assistance in any way"

"Good" Azula whispered.

"I'll take my leave then, Princess" said the Captain, standing up and performing a bow towards Azula.

"Captain…" she muttered, her voice quivering again although she failed to notice it this time.

"Yes, Princess?" asked the Captain, taken by surprise.

Azula struggled with the words for a moment. It wasn't every day she felt the urge to let those who worked for her know she had a softer side…

"T-thanks… for everything. Even if you didn't do much" she finished, looking away after uttering the last phrase.

The Captain's eyes snapped wide open. He gaped at the Princess for a moment, realizing this was the first time she had ever expressed gratitude towards him in an earnest manner. He smiled and bowed again before leaving her to herself, just as he had said he would.

Azula frowned for a moment as she tried to assimilate what had just happened. She hadn't rejected the Captain right away because she wished to avoid making another fuss in the Palace in the same day… but she definitely hadn't expected him to offer her his helping hand in the way he had. She had been certain he disliked her due to how she always treated him… but he had been so sincere just now that she realized he was thoroughly loyal to her, no matter what. She knew he had been completely honest with her, it was easy for her to tell. He really wanted to support her even though he didn't know how…

Azula couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. She had feared that, at this rate, all her relationships would become strained due to her rash decisions and ridiculous actions. Yet it seemed she could rely on the Captain even if she couldn't rely on anyone else… and that would suffice for now. It would give her the strength she needed to carry on until she was able to think straight and find a way to put an end to her predicament with Sokka.

She stood up and cast one last look at the garden, catching sight of several fireflies hovering amongst the bushes. She was set on going to bed and forgetting about her troubles for now, certain that, once she had rested, she would find the common sense she seemed to have lost at some point today. She could devise a way to get out of the disaster she had unleashed upon herself by kissing that savage. If there was something that made her proud was her quick wit and her skills to figure out clever solutions to virtually any situation…

Azula turned around to head down to her room, feeling far more confident now. She could trust herself not to make a fool of herself anymore since her analytical mind was in control once again…

At least, it was in control until she realized there was someone staring at her from the opposite end of the hall.

Her heart had already sunk in her chest before she could tell for certain whom it was.

Sokka was breathing heavily, glaring at her with those zephyr eyes. His hair was down, a sight Azula wasn't used to. His clothes had been fancy garments at some point in time, but they looked rummaged and soiled now. His shirt wasn't even completely closed, and the sash around his waist was tied in a weak knot.

Azula's body didn't know how to respond to seeing Sokka again. Her heart was racing again, but she also felt a horrible sensation of foreboding taking over her. There was a pit in her chest, a hole that was growing larger with every second that passed by as she held Sokka's gaze with her own.

Her previous confidence vanished as he began stepping towards her, his eyes gleaming with fury. Azula fought the urge to turn around and flee when she realized there was no reason for her to wish to avoid him. Running away from him now would let him see how badly shaken she was after all of what had happened today. She couldn't show any weaknesses to him. She was his sponsor, his master. He was a mere gladiator, a slave. There was no reason why she should be frightened by this encounter…

As he approached she noticed there was a strange smell on him. There seemed to be a great mixture of odors on him, but the one she could sense clearly was alcohol. He had been drinking? The mere thought of what a drunken Sokka might do in a date made her heart sink even deeper.

His eyes were truly a sight to behold right now. For reasons Azula couldn't understand, his evident rage made the blue in his gaze more alluring than ever before.

Sokka could tell she was frightened by the sight of him, even though he couldn't understand what she had to fear from him. Those golden eyes were screaming for someone to help her, to restrain him somehow because she didn't want to face his anger, but she didn't call out for any guards or servants. Still, her body, clad solely in a gown, was posed as if she were ready to make a run for it. He felt somewhat proud of being the one responsible for causing such an effect on her. He didn't know what she had to fear, seeing how everything had gone exactly as she had planned… right?

Azula felt her body shiver as she tried to glare back at Sokka, but she knew her dread towards what might come was far stronger than her determination. Regardless, she wouldn't step back. She wouldn't falter. He wasn't going to intimidate her, not now, not ever…

"What… what are you doing here?" she managed to say, her voice shaky.

Sokka's eyes grew even colder at that question. His hands balled into fists as he snarled at the Princess, the woman who was his salvation and damnation at once.

"You mean you really don't know?" he asked "You're surprised to see me here, Azula? Are you, really?"

"I thought…" she muttered, her gaze leaving his for a moment "I thought you'd be having the time of your life with your new friend…"

Sokka huffed in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Sure you thought so. Sure you thought I'd be able to spend the night with another woman without thinking about what you did to me"

"About what I…?" said Azula, cringing "Wait a minute…"

"You're actually going to pretend you didn't know what you were doing to me?! Really, Azula?!" he yelled

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"That stupid kiss, that's what!" he shouted, his chest aching at the memory of her lips on his. He could hardly believe he was actually confronting her about it…

Azula took a step back at those words. Well… it was a relief to know she hadn't been the only one shaken up by what had happened between them in the waiting room. Yet he was angry, very angry… and she couldn't figure out why. He had gotten everything he could have asked for… a date with that gladiator girl, a kiss from her… why was he so upset?

"What about it?" grunted Azula, her fear beginning to subside as her own fury began taking its place.

"You had no right to do something like that!" yelled Sokka

"I had no right?" Azula repeated, raising her eyebrows "Pray tell, why did you kiss me back if you didn't want it, then?! And you didn't just kiss back, you went crazy on me! Are you going to blame me for your actions too?!"

"I sure as hell will!" he replied "You knew from the beginning what I was going through! You knew I didn't stand a chance against you!"

"What the blazes are you talking about?!" asked Azula, starting to feel slightly concerned about Sokka's mental health at this point.

"You realized I was into you!" Sokka yelled "And you knew I was trying to pull away from you! You didn't care if I was trying to spare us from the hell, because you're so selfish you just needed to have me to yourself, didn't you?!"

"What the…? You were… into me?" Azula repeated, blinking rapidly as she tried to stomach what he had just admitted.

"Don't act as if you didn't know! You damn well did!" Sokka declared, baring his teeth at her.

Azula's eyes dropped for a moment as she realized she hadn't been wrong. Yes, he had smiled at her in a special way. Yes, he had flirted and joked around with her. And all of it had happened because he had liked her… Sokka liked her.

Or at least, he used to like her.

"Well…" she said, seeking for the courage to look into his eyes again "Excuse me for not swallowing your lies right away. You were into me, you said? In that case, why the hell did you go with someone else?!"

"Because you and I will never be together!" Sokka yelled "We can't be! And you should know it better than I do!"

Azula cringed at those words. True… there were forces in this world that would set them apart if they gave in to their innermost urges. There were a million reasons why they should have never opened the door towards the possibility of becoming something more than just being a sponsor and a gladiator.

But they had opened it. What now?

"I needed to get away from you so that I wouldn't feel tempted to do anything out of bounds!" Sokka shouted "I had to get away before I was in too deep to save myself from drowning in you! And I thought I could do it… damn, I probably could have! But then you… you kissed me. You kissed me, Azula! What the hell was going through your mind?! What were you thinking?!"

Azula found herself at a loss for words all of sudden. What was she thinking? What had she been thinking back then? She had thought he was hers… and she didn't want him to pull away from her, indeed. She had wanted him for herself, to keep him by her side in whichever way possible… and she had kissed him to show him that whatever he thought he could have with another woman, he could have it with her, too. But he was right. They couldn't be together. It couldn't be done.

"So?! Tell me! Why did you do it, Azula?!" he insisted, coming closer. Azula wanted to push him away, but she refused to falter. She had no idea if she would win or lose this time, but she was going to fight to the end regardless.

"You… you're mine" she finally replied, her eyes glinted with the very same rage that shaded his "You're my slave. I'm the one who calls the shots in your life, no matter what you think. And if I don't want you to trample with strangers, then I'll make sure you won't!"

"Why the hell does it matter to you who I trample with?!" Sokka threw back at her "You're the Princess! I'm just a stupid slave, just like you said! Why should you care about what I do with my life?!"

"You and I had a bargain, or are you too drunk to remember it?!" Azula yelled "You're going to get to the top of that ranking, and until then, you only answer to me! Your loyalty lies with ME! And I won't condone any useless distractions such as that pathetic girl! You're only who you are today because of me! You owe me your life, Sokka!"

"Yeah… that's right" said Sokka, his eyes growing tearful to Azula's surprise "I am who I am because of you. You're the one to blame for the monster I've become. I can't even look at myself in a damn mirror without feeling that's not me! Ever since I met you you've made my life a living hell! Yeah, you wanna know the truth?! I lied back there! No, my life isn't wonderful! No, I'm not satisfied with what I've got! No, I didn't get the better end of our deal! You've done everything you could to destroy me, to tear me to pieces and shape me into whatever you wanted me to be! You've made me hate you for what you've done to me… but most of all, I hate myself! I hate myself! You have no idea how badly I do!"

Azula stared at him in shock. How had he been able to conceal such pain and sorrow within himself when he was always smiling and joking around? Did he truly think so lowly of himself?

"And the worst part is that I was enough of a masochist to embrace what you'd done to me" Sokka continued, shaking his head "I… I was fine with it. And I was stupid enough to look at you as if there were something else beneath all those layers of evil!"

"What…?" Azula gasped. Evil, he said? She was downright evil in his eyes, after all they'd been through?

"I don't know why the hell did I think maybe you cared about me" he said, shaking his head "Every single thing you did, you did it to benefit yourself. Because that's all you care about, yourself. So long as you get everything you want, you'll be satisfied, won't you? You don't give a damn about what I might want, that's out of the question… because the only thing that matters is you"

It was Azula's turn to snarl, her hands drawing into fists as well. She wanted to burn him, to make him suffer for every single word he had uttered that evening…

"Well, congratulations. You'll get your fucking wish" said Sokka, his glare growing fiercer "I'm going to get to the top of that stupid ranking, and that's all I'm going to do. Because, so long as you're around, I'll never have a life of my own. I understood that tonight, at last"

"What are you…?" asked Azula, slightly confused "How did you…?"

"You're poison, you know?" he grunted "It doesn't matter if I'm with another woman, I can't stop thinking about you. It's you, all the time. Even while I was fucking her brains out, it was you. I couldn't stop thinking about you"

Azula's eyes widened with horror. Fucking her brains out? Did this mean he had actually slept with Kyoshi's Heir?!

"It doesn't matter what I do… it doesn't" he grunted "You're worse than poison, really. Because there's no antidote to you. There's nothing I can do to stop this madness!"

"You didn't… you didn't…" she muttered, shaking her head as she felt her chest paining her so badly she couldn't even keep looking at him anymore. She stepped back, still in disbelief.

"Hell, yeah. I did" said Sokka, knowing what had shocked her the most "But you can rest easy, Princess. It's not going to happen again until I manage to get you out of my life. Else I'm sure as hell not going to enjoy it, with your face showing up in my mind all the time no matter what I do"

Azula looked up at him, enraged, disappointed and miserable. Despite being surprised by her display of emotions, Sokka managed to keep himself impassive.

"Such great news…" she grumbled "You… how dared you? You're… you're the worst…"

"I'm the worst?! I'm the worst?! Look who's talking!" yelled Sokka, rolling his eyes "You've got my useless life in your hands and you can do whatever you want with me, you know?! So why don't you just kill me now, if I'm that despicable?!"

"I sure as hell should!" Azula yelled, her eyes stinging with tears "You spineless, cowardly imbecile…"

"Yeah, I'm all that and a lot more" Sokka countered her "You think that's going to change anything, telling me what you think of me?! It's not going to do a damn thing!"

"I hate you…" Azula whispered, the tears beginning to stream down her face as she collapsed on the ground, her shoulders shaking slightly "I HATE YOU!"

Sokka shook his head, hating how his heart ached to comfort her. He was a fool, he always had been. But wanting to stand by her as she wept, after all the things he had said, seemed the most ridiculous thing ever.

"Seems like that's the one thing we can agree on" he grunted "Yeah, let's all hate Sokka. Because he was stupid enough to feel anything for someone who doesn't give a crap about anyone but herself!"

"Shut up! Y-you know nothing about me! NOTHING!" Azula yelled, refusing to look at him anymore.

"With the little I know, I don't want to know anything else" Sokka replied, shaking his head "And I really was that stupid… I really was that stupid…"

Someone came running down the hall right then. Sokka was surprised to see the Captain of Azula's Royal Guards heading straight towards her. He dropped to his knees by her side as Azula's muffled sobs left her body, her arms hugging herself as if she wanted to keep his words from scarring her soul… but it was too late. The damage was done.

"Princess… Princess" said the Captain, aghast. She had been fine just a while ago…

He lifted his head towards the Water Tribe slave, his eyes alight with anger even though Sokka couldn't see them. Of course it was him… it had always been him. Whatever had forced her to kick Lo and Li out of the Palace, what had driven her to the depressive state she currently was in… everything was his doing.

"Leave this Palace immediately" the guard ordered him, his voice powerful and frightening.

Sokka looked at the broken figure of Azula one last time, his rage blurring his mind even now. Why should she cry, if she had gotten her way? He had said he wouldn't see any other women until he was out of her clutches. He would devote himself to fulfilling their deal and nothing else. What more could she ask for at this point?

Sokka huffed before turning around and going down the hall again, headed towards the Palace's main gates. He had no idea what outcome he had been expecting from this, but he definitely didn't think she would have ended up reduced to tears because of him. Yet that couldn't make a difference. He'd had enough of caring about Azula. The more he cared, the worse it would be for him.

Azula's nails dug into her skin as she hugged herself tightly. Every word he had uttered tonight had been given wings to everything she would have never wanted to hear from him. He really thought her heartless, didn't he? Had he ever thought that, perchance, everything she had done for him, she had done because she wanted to? Had he ever thought that, maybe, she had feelings for him as well?

No, that didn't matter to him. Because, as he had said… they could never be together. Only now did Azula understand what he had tried to accomplish by asking another woman out in the Arena. He had meant to displease her, to make her think he wasn't worth her time, and to get over her by trying his luck with another girl. But she had refused to let go of him… because she thought he belonged to her. Because he was hers.

Or so she had thought. But, truth to be told, Sokka had never been much of a slave. He got away with what he wanted all the time, he lived a better life than many Fire Nation citizens, and he had a naïve Princess yearning for him. Was he really hers? Could that man ever belong to anyone? A long time ago he had claimed she had a heart of ice… he had a soul of wild fire, in that case. It was impossible to tame him, even for someone like her. She had gotten her way throughout all her life… but everything became different when he came into the picture. He had turned her world around when she hadn't been looking, and now he was torturing her as he proved to her that, no matter if he had to serve as her gladiator, he would never be hers. His soul would remain free forever, even if she tried to submit him to her will.

It hurt beyond belief to accept he was the one thing she had wanted the most, and the one thing she could never have, no matter what. Because even if there had been no prejudices to hold their potential relationship back, Sokka had grown to despise her. He hated her. And no matter how she wished to reciprocate the feeling, she really couldn't bring herself up to it. It didn't matter if she had felt as enraged as she had… she knew she didn't hate him.

She wanted to run after him and say she was sorry. She wanted to ask him if he could let everything return to the way it had been. She wanted to be his friend again, the sponsor he had come to rely upon. She wanted to see him smile instead of seeing him scowl. She didn't even care if their relationship would be stuck in that simple friendly stage for the rest of their lives. Even thought that wasn't what she truly wanted, it would be better than the hellish situation they had fallen into. She had let her feelings take the wheel and she had pushed herself upon him, not bothering to think if that was what he wanted or not. Maybe he was right… maybe she was too selfish. Maybe she deserved what had happened. Maybe it was time for her to open her eyes to reality: he would never come to love someone like her.

She didn't even notice the way the Captain's arms surrounded her shoulders and pulled her into an embrace, lost in her misery as she was. The guard gritted his teeth in anger, wondering what that blasted slave had done to the broken girl in his arms. Azula's desperate sobs were heart-shattering… and he wished to punish the man he knew responsible for them. But he couldn't do anything. He wouldn't. He had no idea what had happened between them, and he had no business prying into it. For now, all he could do was hold the Princess in his arms and show her he had meant it when he had said he would stay by her side. Azula would be the one to decide what sort of justice would be unleashed upon the slave once she was able to get over the heartbreak she was suffering from…

Sokka slammed the door when he entered the house. He cringed at the loud noise, only remembering Song had probably been sleeping and his harshness might have woken her. He climbed the steps up to his room, thinking about every single mistake he had done lately. Yes, without a doubt, he hated the man he had become. And he really couldn't blame Azula for all of it.

The memory of her tears made him grimace as he lifted a hand to his brow. There was no way she could have been faking such emotions… she couldn't be that great a liar. Nobody was.

But he had to believe she was. He was sure she had kissed him just to brand him as hers, that she had done it to make sure he wouldn't be able to get her out of his mind…

But what if she hadn't?

What if there was more to Azula than he had thought there was?

What if she had done it because she had really wanted to be with him?

Sokka shook his head and dropped on the mattress, exhausted. It had been too long a day. Maybe all of it had been just a bad nightmare. He closed his eyes, wishing he would never have to wake up again, in hopes that a good night's sleep would help him forget the tears Azula had shed because of him…


	29. Chapter 29

Song tried to keep her focus on cleaning the dishes, but performing mundane activities allowed her mind to wander even when she didn't want it to. She could hear the way Sokka was swinging his sword in the backyard, a few groans leaving his throat whenever he performed really complex movements.

Song didn't understand what was happening with him right now. He had been behaving oddly for the last two weeks, but right now he was acting much weirder than before.

It had been four days already since he had dealt with a nasty hangover that he hadn't even explained to Song. She had helped him cope with it, thinking his dreadful mood had been caused by the hangover, but once he was cured from it, his attitude grew even fouler. It worried Song, because she had never thought her friend and supposed-to-be master could become so moody all of sudden. He'd always been so relaxed and cheerful… what had happened with him? Had it been that date of his? Did it go awry?

She placed the last plate into a drawer after drying it properly and she walked to the living room, from where she could look out into the backyard. Sokka was twirling with his sword, his brow contracted in a perturbed frown. Song had seen him train before, and he usually moved with enthusiasm, seemingly at peace with himself. There was no doubt something had happened to him, something bad. Nobody changed so radically without a reason…

Song sighed and looked for her duster, with which she began wiping up the furniture. She had already cleaned the day before, but there was little she could do to busy herself with anything but her concern over Sokka. What could have happened on the date? It was hard to figure it out, truly… but maybe the date wasn't the issue. Song frowned and lowered her rug as she reminisced the way he had arrived after his fight at the Arena… Sokka had looked distraught, troubled. He had taken a bath and gotten dressed quickly, but then he had taken a seat at the couch for a couple of hours, his head between his hands. That had been really odd too…

And if she thought about it… he hadn't talked about the Princess ever since. She hadn't dropped by to bring any new prospects to be his sword master or just to check on him… and that was most unusual. Sokka hadn't left the house to see her in the Palace either…

Maybe that was it. Maybe something had gone down between them.

Song bit her lip. There was an odd sense of dread at the thought of something awful happening between Sokka and the Princess. The worst part was that she knew there wouldn't be a chance for their conflict to be solved if it came up to Sokka. She didn't know the Princess too well, but she had come to realize Sokka was incredibly stubborn whenever he wanted to be. And judging by his current demeanor, he wasn't going to talk matters out with the Princess any time soon. So… it would be up to the Princess to come to Sokka, right?

Song dropped the duster as she made up her mind about what she had to do. She would go to the Princess and tell her about how troubled Sokka seemed to be, and she would ask her as courteously as possible to talk to him about what had happened between them…!

And what if the Princess wasn't really the problem?

Well, if that were the case, she would likely have no qualms in dropping by to see Sokka, and she could help him sort out what troubled him. The last she'd seen of them, they had been acting as good friends. She was sure Azula would want to get Sokka back to the man he used to be. It was only a matter of talking to her, requesting her to come over, and everything would be settled!

She smiled to herself and went into the backyard for a moment, clearing her throat. The unexpected sound stopped Sokka as he moved his way through his stances. The gladiator halted and looked at her, his cold eyes surprising her even though it had already been four days since she had first seen how harsh his gaze had become.

"I'm going to… I-I'm going to see…" she stammered, feeling slightly nervous all of sudden. If the Princess was the cause of his distress, he wouldn't take kindly to knowing she was going to look for her…

"What?" he asked hoarsely, frowning.

"I-I'm going to see if I can find some chili" she improvised "I was going to make lunch, but it seems we ran out…"

"Huh…" muttered Sokka. Normally Song wouldn't let him know she was going out unless she needed him to carry the groceries for her. And if she only wanted chili, she wouldn't need help… she had no need to lie over what she was going to do, seeing how Sokka trusted her not to get involved in anything stupid. But if she felt the urge to lie, he might as well please her by pretending she had fooled him… "Good luck with that, Song"

"T-thanks" said Song, smiling. Great! She hadn't given herself away! "I'll be right back"

Song left the house quickly, her heart racing as she made her way to the Fire Nation Royal Palace. She walked down the streets quickly, her head tilted as she passed by the townsfolk. People didn't pay her much attention, since her clothing and demeanor gave away her status as a slave, and slaves were completely irrelevant to most the people who lived in the Fire Nation Capital. The noblemen were too proud to even spare a look at a mere slave, and Song was glad that they acted that way. She had heard about the treatment slaves earned in other towns and villages, where Fire Nation citizens displayed their pride by abusing of slaves in public. Winding up in the Capital, where everyone was pretentious and arrogant, had some perks she couldn't be thankful enough for.

The roads became busier as she approached the center of the city, and her anxiety grew with every new step she took. She wasn't worthy of walking into the Royal Palace, she was only a slave girl… but she had to see the Princess, for Sokka's sake.

She felt her mouth running dry when she stood before the immense gates that led into the Palace. They were open wide, and there were several guards standing in formation before them, daunting anyone who had no business in the Palace. But Song had something to do… and she refused to go home empty-handed. She had to see Princess Azula.

"Good day" she said once she was before the guards.

Song hadn't realized these were different men from the ones who usually escorted Azula in her palanquin. Their clothes were black, they wore helmets with horns in them and they wielded spears. And they had no idea who she was.

"Run along, girl" said one of the guards "You have no business in the Fire Nation Palace"

"Uh, I do, actually…" she muttered "You see, I'm the slave of… well… of the Princess's gladiator"

"The slave of a slave?" asked the guard, skeptical "How the hell does that even work?"

"It's not as weird as it sounds… I think" said Song, gulping "In any case, you can ask the Princess about it if you don't believe me"

"Ugh, people like you drop by all the time with stupid excuses like that one" said the guard "I'm not letting you in. The Princess probably doesn't even know you exist"

"That's not true! She was the one who bought me!" Song pleaded, looking at the guard with despair "Please, just let me in for a minute! I just have to ask her…"

"You have no business in the Palace!" declared the guard, taking his spear into a fighting position and threatening Song with it "Get out now!"

Song panicked when the spear stopped only a few inches away from her belly. Yes, she probably would be best off getting out of here right away… but she couldn't give up yet. She had to do this, for her friend's sake…

"Please, sir…" she muttered, her fear evident in her eyes…

"Cut it out! Puppy eyes won't help you! Get out of here this ins-…!" the man said, ready to drive her away with his spear…

But someone else's hand came down on the weapon suddenly, ripping it off the guard's grip. Song was surprised by the unexpected intervention, and she raised her gaze to find another guard had been the one responsible for stopping the one who had been threatening her. But this man was one of the guards she had seen several times before, a guard dressed in red garments from head to toes with a golden rim decorating his clothing.

The Captain of Azula's Royal Guard glared at the other guard, tossing his spear away.

"Were you trained to threaten helpless females, Fao?" he asked

"N-no, sir…" he muttered, bowing his head and taking a few steps back, fearing retribution for his shamelessness.

The Captain turned towards Song, who was staring at him in awe and fear at the same time.

"Have we met before?" he asked, raising an eyebrow even though the girl couldn't see it "I could swear I've seen you somewhere…"

"Yes!" said Song, relieved to discover this was probably one of Azula's guards "I'm Sokka's slave, Song!"

The Captain frowned upon hearing the gladiator's name. He stifled his anger quickly, pleased to know where he had seen this girl before, at the very least…

"Why are you here?" he asked "Did he send you in his stead to apologize for his rudeness?"

"Oh, uh… apologize?" asked Song, puzzled "Is there something he has to apologize about?"

"There are many things he should apologize about" the Captain grunted "Yet I don't believe discussing such matters here would be a good idea. Come"

The Captain lead the way into the Palace, and Song bit her lip before crossing the threshold that set the magnificent household apart from the rest of the city. It was hard to believe that she had actually come to the Fire Lord's home…

She followed the Captain through the inner roads of the Palace, passing by magnificent gardens and beautiful ponds of pristine water. She spotted a few servants and guards walking down the Palace halls, but she didn't catch sight of any members of the Royal Family. The Captain brought her to a building that stood behind the Palace's main structure, and he opened the front door for Song to head inside.

This building was definitely not as majestic as the Palace itself, but it was quite impressive in its own right. She saw a pair of guards walking by, their masks removed to reveal their faces. Song blinked in surprised at that. She had never seen the face of a Fire Nation guard or soldier before…

"This way" said the Captain, moving through the halls and motioning Song to follow him.

They reached a traditional room that surprised Song thoroughly. The Captain ushered her to remove her shoes before stepping onto the soft tatami flooring. There was a table in the center of the room and several cushions sitting by it.

"I'll bring us some tea" said the Captain "Take a seat, I'll be back soon"

Song nodded and obeyed as the Captain left the room. His hospitality was quite a pleasant surprise. She had never thought there was anything underneath those guard's masks other than heartless and mindless soldiers willing to go to any ends to obey the Fire Lord's wishes. She felt stupid by only realizing now that they were just as human as she was.

There were large windows in the room that allowed Song to look at the gardens outside. It was unusually relaxing, sitting in this room. She almost felt as if she were home in the Earth Kingdom…

The Captain reentered the room after a few minutes, bringing a pot of tea and a pair of cups on a simple tray.

"We don't have as luxurious accommodations in the Guard's Barracks than the ones in the Royal Palace…" he said, setting down the tea and the cups on the table as he sat across Song, his legs flexed under him "But we have everything we need here. It's a good place to live"

"I'm glad" said Song, smiling "Uh… I'm a little confused, though. Weren't you going to bring me to the Princess?"

The Captain frowned and shook his head, folding his arms across his chest.

"I'm sorry, but the Princess is in no condition to see anyone as of now. If you have any messages you wish to deliver to her, I can pass it down to her. But, for both your sakes, it's best if you don't meet with her"

Song grimaced and nodded, biting her lip nervously once again. The Captain poured the tea on a cup and handed it to Song.

"Thank you…" she muttered.

"So… what brought you here?" the Captain asked, pouring his own tea now.

"Well, I… I'm not sure, actually" she said, after sipping her beverage "Things haven't been as lively as always with Sokka… he seems troubled by something"

The Captain frowned and placed his cup in the table, thoughtful.

"I won't say that displeases me. He should be troubled"

"Then you know what happened to him?" asked Song, surprised.

"Not all of it" admitted the Captain "But I overheard something…"

"You overheard…?" asked Song, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as she looked at him judgmentally. The Captain sighed in irritation.

"Yes, yes, guards overhear conversations even when we don't mean to" he growled "Most of us don't do it on purpose. But that's why I brought you here instead of talking at the gates. This isn't a conversation I want other guards to eavesdrop on"

"Why? Don't you trust them?" asked Song, surprised.

"It's not a matter of trust…" said the Captain, removing his hood "It's a matter of privacy"

Song stared in awe as the man shook his head, his long black hair locks flipping as he did. His eyes were a shade of gold not as intense as the color in Princess Azula's eyes, but they had the flicker of the firebender's power in them. His skin was quite pale, something that wasn't much of a surprise, given how he was always clad in layers of clothing that covered every inch of his body. But what surprised Song the most was to discover he wasn't as old as she thought he would be, given by his voice tone. He was likely in his early thirties, if not younger.

"I'm sure you can understand that" he said, taking a sip of his tea as Song blinked rapidly, to stop herself from gaping at him.

"Oh, uh, yes…" she said, not even remembering what they had been talking about before he removed his hood.

"So… you were saying the gladiator seems troubled?" the Captain asked, frowning.

"Y-yes, he does…" said Song "He arrived home after midnight about four days ago, and he hasn't left the house ever since. He's always sulking and frowning… his appetite isn't as wild as always. I know something happened to him, but I haven't found the courage to ask him about it. It seems he wants to be alone, so I decided not to bother him…"

"And you came here seeking for answers?" asked the Captain, surprised.

"I figured the Princess might have known about what troubled him" said Song "And if she didn't, perhaps she could help him feel better. He always seemed to light up whenever she was around, so…"

The Captain grimaced and sighed, his gloved hand going up to his hair.

"I'm sorry to say she won't be helping him feel better anytime soon" said the Captain.

"Is she alright? She's not sick or something, is she?" asked Song, worried.

"No, that's not it. I'm afraid… that she's probably the cause why the gladiator seems so distressed" muttered the Captain "And he's the reason why she's been terribly upset these days too"

Song's eyes widened.

"Oh, my… I never thought… what happened between them?" she asked, concerned "Do you know anything?"

"I know something, but not enough" he replied "The Princess wanted us to leave quickly after his last fight at the Arena, she didn't bother waiting for him…"

"Do you think that's why he's upset?" asked Song, puzzled "It doesn't make much sense…"

"I don't think so" said the Captain "I'm sure something happened between them. But I don't know what it was, because… because, just as you didn't wish to bother the gladiator, I didn't wish to bother the Princess. It didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it"

"I see" said Song, nodding. It was good that the Captain was sensitive enough to realize the Princess needed space.

"But that's not all I know" said the Captain "He came by the Palace that very night"

"Huh? He did?" asked Song "Why?"

"I don't know" said the Captain "The guards let him in because they knew he was the Princess's personal gladiator, but I wish they had stopped him, seeing how he was drunk"

"Oh…" said Song, gulping. Sokka being drunk when he went to see Azula couldn't bode well. Now she could understand why he had such a bad hangover too…

"I had been talking to the Princess and then I proceeded to perform my rounds for the night… when I heard her scream. She was yelling at him, for some reason"

"Oh, boy…" muttered Song, grimacing "Was she really upset?"

"Very much so" said the Captain "When I reached her, she was crying. He was looking down on her angrily. I told him to leave, because I could tell he would only continue making everything worse for her. I don't know if the Princess was the cause of this disaster, or if it was the gladiator's fault… but my duty is to protect her at all costs, no matter if she was to blame or not. Thus I sent him away"

"I understand" said Song, biting her lip "Did you manage to understand anything of what they said to each other?"

"I think I heard her claiming he didn't know her… he replied by saying he didn't even want to know anything about her. Those are probably not the accurate words, but I don't recall what they said exactly"

"That's terrible…" said Song, downcast "I'm glad you stopped me from going to her. She might have grown even more upset if I reminded her of what happened…"

"And she seems to remind herself of it enough as it is" said the Captain, sighing "She's spent these days meditating. She hardly talks to anyone. I've gone to see her a few times, but there's nothing I can do to help her"

"And there's nothing I can do to help Sokka either" said Song "It seems we're both helpless, aren't we?"

The Captain gave her a weak smile before nodding.

"So it would seem…"

They drank their tea quietly now, both looking out through the window occasionally. The silence between them was awkward, since it felt as if they had ran out of words. Song snuck a look at the man again, wondering how many Fire Nation soldiers looked like that underneath their masks…

"So… do you think there's anything we can do?" she asked, biting her lower lip nervously again.

"As we are… and as they are right now, I rather doubt it" said the Captain "I somewhat wish I knew what happened… but, at the same time, I don't want to know. I'm afraid that, if I did, I would hunt down the gladiator for hurting the Princess as he did"

"I can't say the same" muttered Song, smiling "No matter whose fault it is, I don't want to get involved directly with it. I believe they're the ones who have to work out their problems, be whatever they may…"

The Captain looked at her sideways before smiling again and nodding.

"A wise choice. Yet I don't think they'll resolve this on their own that easily…"

"Maybe we should push them to it!" said Song enthusiastically "And then watch from the sidelines…"

"No, that wouldn't work" said the Captain, shaking his head "It's most unlikely they'll do anything but yell at each other if they're not ready to meet again"

"And if they're still displeased at each other, it won't end well" said Song, sighing "So you think there's nothing we can do?"

"Not quite" said the Captain "I'll support the Princess in every possible way, and you can do the same for the gladiator if you wish to do so. But other than that…"

"I understand" said Song, nodding slightly.

The Captain gazed at the girl, noticing she seemed quite discouraged to discover there was little to nothing she could do for her master… or friend. Seeing such a sad expression in the girl's face prompted him to try and soothe her somehow, even though he had no idea what to do…

"Listen, maybe…" he started, only to get interrupted when another guard entered the room rashly.

"The Princess has commanded her Royal Guards to assemble!" said the guard, hardly noticing there was a random girl in the room.

"What?" said the Captain, his eyes widening in surprise "What is she…?"

"She's going out, that's all I know" said the guard, shrugging "She requested for her palanquin to be ready. I have no idea what she's planning on, but whatever it is, you've got to be there, Captain. I figured I'd let you know…"

"Yes" muttered the Captain, nodding and setting his teacup on the table again "I'll be there shortly"

The guard bowed and left the room again. Song watched him leave and left her cup on the table again, smiling at the Captain, who was already placing his hood over his head again.

"This is where we part, I guess" she whispered "Thanks for the tea"

"Any time" said the Captain, fixing his appearance promptly "W-well, as long as I'm not busy, that is…"

"It would seem you're busy at most times" she said, giggling "But I know what you mean"

The Captain smiled too, forgetting she couldn't see his face anymore.

"Good luck with the gladiator" he said "I'll take care of the Princess"

"Good luck to you too" said Song grinning. It was odd to think that, after all she'd been through, she had befriended a Fire Nation soldier… but the Captain was quite a nice man to talk to. Discovering not all soldiers were heartless and cruel was quite a relief.

She left the Palace without having seen Princess Azula, but Song didn't feel like she was leaving empty-handed at all.

Four days of moping around were more than enough to get Azula on the move again. She had spent the first day trying to ignore her anguish to no avail, yet on the second day she began to realize the world hadn't ended despite what had happened between her and Sokka. The sun would still rise every morning, birds would chirp enthusiastically, servants would keep to their duties faithfully… there was no reason for her to continue feeling so miserable. Sokka's words and deeds were in the past… and that was where they should stay.

Because, what had she been expecting? The more she thought about it, the stupider she felt. She hadn't tried to think things through, she had played almost everything by ear when it came to Sokka. She had underestimated him in many levels, thinking she could handle him…

No, she had never thought she could handle him. She had always known she couldn't handle him. And that was what had made him most interesting. It was what had made it all the more fun to spend time with him. But before she knew it, she had been aspiring for something beyond what they already had, expecting things to develop further if she only gave it time… her hopes to become something more to Sokka had been foolish and naïve. Now she was certain she didn't want anything else with him…

"_Because you and I will never be together!"_

Those words rang in her head time over and time again. She kept thinking about them, trying to understand if she had been the one to make a mess of things… she didn't think so. Perhaps she had kissed him, but if he had thought it so wrong, he could have pushed her away instead of giving in. It wasn't entirely her fault, really…

But he had been trying to pull away. He had wanted to spare them the hell… yes, it would have been hellish indeed. If she had gotten involved with him and word of it had reached her father, Fire Lord Ozai would have likely killed Sokka and stripped Azula's right to succeed him on the throne. She had obligations to tend to, and slaves, no matter how good-looking, amusing and interesting they were, couldn't drive her away from what she cared about the most: her role as her nation's future sovereign.

She had done everything in her power to become the best heir her father could have asked for. What she had done by taking Sokka as her gladiator had been for the mere purpose or earning the recognition of the rest of the world, showing all those who undermined her that being a woman was no hindrance to surpassing anyone who dared stand in her way.

But she had gotten sidetracked because of that man and his blue eyes. And it had been to no avail… because he didn't want her. He hated her. He thought she was selfish and wanted to get away from her. And what hurt the most was to think that he might be right. Not once did she think that maybe he was resisting the attraction between them, and she didn't respect his wishes when he decided to go for other women. She hadn't bothered thinking about what he might have wanted… and that had been her downfall. If only she had backed off and realized that they couldn't be together, they wouldn't be in this mess.

Letting her fleeting feelings for him take the wheel had been a huge mistake. She had always reached her decisions through cold logic and ruthless cunning, so why hadn't she stuck to that this time around? Probably because, from the minute she met him, Azula knew Sokka wasn't the kind of guy she could read with ease. From the moment in which he claimed he would fight her no matter what, she realized he wasn't one of the men she was used to dealing with. They'd had their arguments, most their views upon the world were opposed… but they had managed to get along despite it all, because Azula had decided to respect Sokka as a person. As an equal.

Her mind seemed to sneer at her at the thought of being equal to anyone. Of course she wasn't. She was superior to him, superior to his charms and to all the idiocies he'd done these days. So why didn't it feel that way? Why couldn't she convince herself of the fact that caring for a low-life like Sokka was a waste of her time?

Yet there was nothing she could do about their situation at this point. She couldn't win anymore. This fight was over, and she'd do best to accept her loss instead of clawing recklessly in attempts to earn a victory she didn't deserve. Her selfishness had landed her here… so it was time to quit acting on impulse. Sokka was out of her reach now, and he would never come back to her. And that would likely be for the best, seeing how he had no qualms in sleeping around with random women in attempts to get over her.

The thought of Sokka and Kyoshi's Heir together made her feel as if an invisible hand was reaching into her and twisting her organs around. She couldn't make heads or tails out of that. If he had been so troubled after she kissed him, why had he gone so far with another woman? How come had he had the nerve to tell her about it, too? Was he just playing women at will?

Thinking about that matter filled her with loneliness and rage. She had been a fool by being unable to read him… not getting involved with him had been, definitely, for the best. Yet pondering about this would be no use. It wouldn't change anything for the better, the more thought she gave it, the worst she felt. For now, the best thing she could do was focus on what was important: the gladiator league.

It took her a few more days to actually let that conclusion sink in. She watched as time passed her by, waiting for a sign of some sorts to bring her out of her misery. Yet nothing came. Why would something come in the first place? The world had never cared for her troubles, not back when she was a child, not now… so, instead of hoping everything would slow down for her sake, she would have to bring herself up to the task of keeping up with the rest of the world. If everything was to remain the same, then she would pretend to be the same as well. Her wounds wouldn't heal anytime soon, but she was skilled at making it seem otherwise. She could keep her calm charade for as long as it was necessary.

So she would simply wait for the day Sokka had to fight in the Arena once again. She could resist the urge of checking on him. She wished there was a way to return their relationship to what it used to be, but her gut told her it would be hopeless to expect him to behave rationally when they met again. Fixing things between them could wait until after he was done fighting the… the Savage Hook, was it?

Azula frowned when she realized she didn't know anything about Sokka's next opponent. She forced her memory back a few weeks to remember what had happened when Shoji had issued out their challenge to the gladiator's sponsor… and she recalled it right away: Mai's servant had showed up and interrupted Shoji just when he had been about to give them information regarding the Hook.

Azula gritted her teeth in irritation when she realized she had forgotten such an important detail. Knowing your enemy was a very important edge to Sokka's fighting style. Without the advantage of holding information about his opponent, Sokka wouldn't do as well as he always did.

Focusing on the idea of talking to Shoji seemed useful enough for her to forget about Sokka, if only for a little while. Azula had summoned a guard and ordered him to assemble her palanquin bearers and Royal Guards, and, after fixing her appearance to its usual flawless state, she had climbed aboard her palanquin and told them to head to the Grand Royal Dome.

She was pleased to see her guards had remained as stoic as ever. Even the Captain, who had witnessed her breakdown after that horrible conversation with Sokka, had done his best to behave as if nothing had happened. She was grateful for that. Indeed, even if he was an eavesdropper, he was an earnest man. She could rely on him.

She climbed off the palanquin once they arrived to the Capital's Arena. As usual, she ordered the guards to remain outside the building and she crossed the double doors by herself. The people in the vestibule stared at her in awe, as ever, but this time she failed to care about it. Being adored and revered would always give her a feeling of satisfaction… but not this time. Not when she was still in such a deep emotional turmoil. Things might return to normal eventually… but, as she was now, she couldn't enjoy being worshipped.

"Oh, Princess!" said Shoji, smiling when he caught sight of her "I was wondering when you'd come by!"

"Good day, Shoji" Azula retorted, staring coldly at the boy as he rummaged through the drawers in search for the huge sheet where the ranking had been written down.

"I have good news for you! The ranking was fully updated only yesterday…" said Shoji, scrolling down the names with his hand "… so I'm still getting adjusted to the changes. Was it a little lower…? Oh! Here it is!"

"What is…?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"Look, look!" said Shoji, showing her the large parchment "On slot 341, the Blue Wolf! And on slot 340, the Blind Bandit! You are only two points away from her!"

Azula's eyes widened. Only two points separated Sokka from Toph…

"She doesn't have any fights scheduled until the other week, so if your fight against the Savage Hook goes well, you'll surpass her!" said Shoji, enthusiastically.

"I see…" said Azula, thoughtful. Her schemes to defeat her uncle seemed to have worked so far "How many points would we earn if we were to beat the Savage Hook?"

"Uh…" said Shoji, moving onto the first half of the scroll "You'd get 323 points. That's a lot more than the Blind Bandit will earn in at least two fights, if she wins them both"

"Finally, good news" Azula whispered to herself "How are our odds against the Hook?"

"Oh…" said Shoji, his cheerfulness vanishing "Well, the Wolf shouldn't have it that hard, seeing how he even beat Kyoshi's Heir…"

Azula shivered at the mention of the gladiator's name. She tried to remain stoic, although she couldn't help but clench her fists in anger.

"But the Hook… he's a handful" said Shoji, gulping "He's not easy to handle at all"

"What can you tell me about him?" asked the Princess, folding her arms across her chest.

"Well… I don't know all the details" Shoji admitted "But, according to what I gathered some time ago… he used to be a criminal"

"A criminal? What kind of criminal?" asked Azula, frowning.

"He flooded a Fire Nation Colony back when the Earth Kingdom still stood strong" said the boy "Apparently he was the leader of a teenager gang of delinquents… some members of the gang were killed by the group of elite Fire Nation soldiers that were sent to catch them. The survivors became Gladiators"

"That sounds familiar…" muttered Azula, thinking back to a war meeting she had attended to many years ago. Her father's council had discussed something regarding a group of rebellious Earth Kingdom kids. A battalion of Fire Nation soldiers had been sent to restrain them, but Azula had never heard about the fate of the captured rebels, mostly seeing how she hadn't even cared for it.

"Well, that's supposed to be the reason why the Savage Hook has such a wild attitude" said Shoji "He fights using twin hook-swords, and, if he can get away with it, he fights to the death…"

Azula's eyes widened.

"To the death, you said? Has he killed other gladiators in the Superior League?"

"Many times" said Shoji, gulping "There are a few gladiators who go as far as to kill their opponents if they can get away with it… and he's one of them. He's especially harsh against firebenders, but he always goes for the kill"

"How skilled is he with those blades of his?" asked Azula, her eyebrows contracting.

"Quite skilled" said Shoji, sighing "I wanted to warn you of this beforehand… he's not the kind of foe anyone can defeat. He's been deadly… well, at least over forty times. He killed his last opponent on a fight a few weeks ago…"

Azula gritted her teeth, wondering what she'd gotten herself into… what she'd gotten Sokka into. Two points separated them from the Blind Bandit, but was it worth fighting the Savage Hook to earn them?

"I wanted to warn you about this before sending the challenge…" said Shoji "But circumstances were against me…"

"There's no need to worry, Shoji" said Azula, finding confidence even though she hardly felt any "My gladiator has been involved in fights to the death before. It shouldn't be a problem"

"You sure?" asked Shoji, grimacing "I can send a cancellation to the opposite sponsor…"

Azula pondered that option only for a short moment before shaking her head.

"We won't back off" she declared "The fight may be difficult, but it's not impossible for us to win. The Hook has lost before, hasn't he?"

"Oh, yes… he has several losses so far" said Shoji, nodding "Most of them are knock-outs, though. When he's in the Arena, the Savage Hook is worse than an untamed beast. Since goes for the kill, the only way to stop him is to knock him out. I haven't heard of him running out of time in his fights…"

"So with him it's either kill or die?" asked Azula, sighing "Doesn't sound like a good perspective, but I'll keep it in mind. Do you know if he has any weaknesses that could be exploited in battle?"

"Uh… not really, no" said Shoji, thoughtful "Other than the fact that he's reckless and breaks a lot of furniture…"

"So he's not the type to meditate about what he's going to do?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'd say mostly because he doesn't even need to" said Shoji, shrugging "He charges at his enemies and aims to destroy them… that's all there is to him"

"There doesn't need to be much more than that if that's gotten him the job done before" said Azula "What would you suggest to defeat him?"

"Oh, m-me?" asked Shoji, surprised. Azula always asked him for information, but it was the first time she wanted to hear his opinion "Well, I… I think you should tell the Blue Wolf to keep it cool and think fast. He could beat the Hook if he's smart enough about it…"

Azula nodded, seeing how Shoji's words were exactly what she had been thinking. Brute strength could be beaten if you made sure it didn't beat you first.

"I appreciate the information you've provided me with, Shoji. I'll see you again soon" said Azula, nodding towards him and turning to the doors.

"See you, Princess!" said Shoji, waving as she walked away.

There was a prominent frown in Azula's brow as she made her way back to her palanquin. Knowing Sokka's opponent would be a handful was a little worrisome. In a way, she wouldn't mind it if he got smashed by a stronger foe… but she wanted him to win. She needed him to win. Only two points stood between them and the Blind Bandit… if they made the most out of this fight against the Savage Hook, they could leave her behind at last and make their way to the top of the ranking without a fuss. But, even though she hated to admit it, she was completely powerless in a situation regarding Sokka once again. It would be up to Sokka alone to see if they could put some distance between them and the Bandit or not…


	30. Chapter 30

The knock on the door took Song by surprise. She had been busy working her way with lunch when she heard it. She left the duck she had been working on, and she exited the kitchen to open the front door while wiping her hands with a handkerchief.

Her eyes snapped wide open when she found a Royal Guard at the other side of the threshold. And it wasn't any Guard… the golden hem on his outfit gave away his identity right away.

"Oh… good day" said the Captain, bowing down respectfully towards Song, who gaped at him in surprise for a moment before imitating him.

"G-good day, Captain…" she mumbled, her voice faltering when she realized she didn't know his name. Had he told her what he was called? She didn't remember if he had… "To what do we owe the pleasure…?"

"The gladiator has a fight today" replied the Captain, a frown on his face "Didn't he inform you of that?"

"Uh… no, he didn't mention…" said Song, frowning. She hadn't been talking much with Sokka lately, but he should have told her about his upcoming combats. Maybe he had forgotten about the fight?

She peeked over the Captain's shoulder and caught sight of the Royal Procession. Everything looked the same on the outside, but Song could tell something was wrong. Her intuition told her Sokka's bad mood wouldn't improve anytime soon, and she was sure the Princess wouldn't put up with his crankiness if she was as mad at him as well…

"I'll go get him for you" said Song, smiling weakly and turning around. She was going to head to Sokka's room when she caught sight of him on the foot of the staircase, fully clad in his black-and-blue armor, his helmet under his arm. The icy look in his eyes was as cold as ever.

"No need to go get me. I'm here" he muttered, walking to the door.

The Captain couldn't help but feel a surge of anger when he saw Sokka's face again. The frown that distorted his features annoyed him thoroughly. He honestly didn't know what he had been expecting to see when he found himself face to face with the gladiator once more, but his apparent anger felt out of place to the Captain. He should be repenting for having hurt the Princess instead of being upset…

"Let's get this over with" grunted Sokka, glaring at the Captain as if he could tell that the man was scowling right back at him.

"Good luck…" Song whispered. She would have been dismayed to realize Sokka hadn't told her about his fight, but the tension in the atmosphere was such that she didn't even think about reprimanding him for it.

"See you later, Song" Sokka muttered before walking past the Captain and heading towards the palanquin.

The Captain huffed in annoyance and shook his head, and Song bit her lip in concern.

"I'm sorry about that… he's been moody all this time, I don't know what to do about it…"

"It's nothing you should be apologizing for" said the Captain "So long as he performs his duty as he's supposed to…"

"I'm sure he will" said Song, although at this point, she wasn't sure about anything regarding Sokka.

"Farewell" said the Captain bowing at her "We will return with the gladiator in a few hours, as always"

"Sure" said Song, beaming "Have a good day, Captain!"

"You too" said the Captain, smiling weakly under his hood and walking towards the palanquin as well.

Sokka's glare didn't leave the palanquin as he came closer and closer to it. He could see Azula's silhouette through the drapes, and he could see she hadn't turned her head around to regard him. Her back was perfectly straight, her legs were crossed before her, her arms folded over her chest and her eyes set on the road. Well, had she been acting any other way he would have been truly shocked. He didn't want to interact much with her, and he was sure that would be the only thing they could agree on these days. He had no idea what would happen when they came face to face again…

Azula had decided she would keep her body from reacting in any manner as she rode the palanquin. She didn't want to look at him. The mere thought of being near him again was enough for her heart to shatter once again. She had tried to get herself together during the week they had been apart, but now she could tell it had been to no avail. Just knowing he was close threatened to tear down the calm façade she had been composing these last few days.

Her eyes betrayed her and flickered towards him even though the rest of her body remained immobile. Dread sank within her chest when she glimpsed his shape through the drapes. Her hands balled into fists as she closed her eyes, refusing to let her heartache disturb her any further. They had business to attend to, and she wouldn't allow their fallout to cause more trouble than it already had. She'd had enough of that nonsense.

The Procession began moving when the Captain returned to formation. Sokka gritted his teeth as he followed the group, his brow still furrowed. There she was again, raised above everyone else. It was her rightful place as a Princess. It was where she would stay from now on, he could feel it… and it was where he wanted her to stay. They didn't belong together. They couldn't belong together. Especially after what had happened a week ago.

He didn't feel like looking at her again. Before he had wanted to steal as many glances at her elegant figure as he could get away with, but doing so now would only make him feel worse about himself. He was certain she could understand that, being as smart as she was… therefore, as soon as they had arrived to their destination, he had headed towards the Arena's gates without waiting for her to climb off the palanquin.

The palanquin bearers set down the vehicle and dragged the drapes open just as Sokka entered the Arena. Azula only caught sight of his back before the door closed behind him. She rolled her eyes and huffed, her chest heaving with anger. He had no shame left, did he? He couldn't even try to behave as he was supposed to, by letting her lead the way, seeing how she was the master and he was the slave. No, there seemed to be nothing left in that hollow head of his. All that talk of honor Piandao had given him had gone to waste, just as it had with her brother.

In a way, though, she was somewhat relieved. She had no idea how to face him again. Maybe he didn't know how to face her either. But Sokka running away like a coward could only help her become even more infuriated towards him.

"Princess… do you wish to be escorted inside?" asked the Captain, but Azula shook her head and climbed off the palanquin.

"No need. Stay here, as you always do" she ordered him. She had no idea how this mess would develop, but she certainly didn't want the Captain to witness whatever might go down between her and Sokka this time.

"Yes, Princess" said the Captain, bowing down as she entered the Arena. He couldn't help but clench a fist, his gut telling him to follow her… but he was a soldier. He knew better than to disobey the Princess's commands.

Azula entered the vestibule and people gazed at her in admiration, as usual. She ignored them as she scanned the crowd, searching for Sokka and finding he was already heading downstairs. She shook her head and walked to Shoji's counter, trying to ignore the urge to run after Sokka and yell at him for being such an idiot.

"Princess" said Shoji, smiling "Good to see you… uh, where's the Blue Wolf?"

"He went on ahead" Azula muttered, trying not to betray herself by showing how bothered she was by Sokka's attitude "Are we due already?"

"Oh, yes… right away, actually" said Shoji "Your opponent still hasn't arrived, but you can go ahead and settle down while you wait for him"

He gave her a weak smile as he talked, trying to be reassuring but failing in the process. Azula didn't grin back at him.

"Alright then. Sign us up" she muttered "Write down his usual choice for weaponry, I don't think he'll use anything unexpected today"

"Right away, Princess" said Shoji, nodding. He had already memorized Sokka's weapons after only ten fights. Azula didn't find the boy to be particularly interesting… but his prodigious memory was quite impressive. He knew every single one of the five hundred fighters by heart. He wrote down Sokka's file for the day before smiling again and exclaiming "Good luck!"

Azula nodded and turned around, a sigh leaving her lips as she walked to the stairs. She felt sorely tempted to go upstairs and ignore that fool completely… but she had to tell him what the Savage Hook was capable of. The two-point gap between Sokka and the Blind Bandit could be closed down today, and telling the moron about Shoji's warnings could help her tilt the odds to their favor.

Her heart began beating faster in her chest when she walked downstairs. What was she doing? Could this be any use? Would it help their circumstances somehow? She rather doubted it. She could tell he was just as angry as she was, and he wouldn't respond positively to anything she could tell him. Still, she had to do this. She had no choice.

Sokka heard her footsteps as she walked down the hall, recognizing the sound instantly even when she wasn't nearby yet. He had to hold back the urge to panic. Was she going to tell him off for not waiting for her? Curses, why was she unable to understand he was trying to put some distance between them for their own good?!

Azula entered the stand-by room to find Sokka fixing his gloves and armguards. He was staring pointedly at the sand pit, refusing to acknowledge her presence. Nevertheless, she knew he was fully conscious that she was there. Azula took a deep breath, at a loss for words. How was she supposed to start with this? Was there any way to break the uncomfortable silence? She had no idea if there was… but she had to try to break it somehow. It was obvious he wouldn't be the one to do it.

"Sokka…" she muttered, the name stinging her heart as she uttered it.

"You didn't have to come down here" he stated suddenly, taking her by surprise.

"As a matter of fact, I did" Azula growled back "Perhaps if you hadn't stormed off as you did this conversation wouldn't be developing as it is"

"Oh, so it's all on me…" said Sokka, rolling his eyes "Yeah. Sounds about right"

"Will you stop behaving like the fool you are for ten seconds and just listen to what I have to say?" Azula was exasperated. She kept glaring daggers at the nape of his neck, catching sight of the scars she had placed there a long time ago. Oh, why hadn't she struck a vital point and killed him when she had the chance? If that had happened she wouldn't have faced so many problems… letting him live was, without a doubt, the biggest mistake she had ever made.

"Sorry to say I can't stop being the fool I am. It'd be the same as if I asked you to stop being the princess you are. Can't do it, can you? It's engraved in your soul. Well, being a fool is my personal curse. Can't get out of it no matter what I do"

Azula brought a hand to her forehead, growing more impatient by the minute.

"Fine. But you can shut your mouth for now, or are you plainly unable to keep your jaws together?"

"You know, I've had about enough of that" Sokka grunted, turning to glare directly at her "Stop it. I feel bad enough about myself these days for you to try and make it worse"

"Oh, you feel bad about yourself?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow and baring her teeth at him "You're saying you feel so bad you've regretted every single decision you've made in the past two years? You're saying you feel as if your heart had been torn right off your chest and you can't stop the pain no matter what you do? Is that how bad you feel, Sokka? Is it?!"

Sokka froze for a moment, the emotions in Azula's eyes taking him by surprise.

"And the part that makes you feel the most ridiculous…" grunted Azula "Is that you've brought this hell on yourself. You were naïve enough to read everything as you wanted to instead of thinking things through…"

"Azula…" he muttered, making her cringe when he whispered her name. His hand moved on its own accord towards her, but Azula jumped back at the sight of it. She wanted to keep those hands as far from her as possible. She wanted to keep Sokka as far from her as possible.

"No… just… no" she said, shaking her head "Forget it. This isn't worth it. You're not worth it. Go out there and get yourself killed for all I care"

"Az-…" Sokka started, but her fierce glare was enough for him to freeze where he was. She stormed out of the room without another word.

Sokka grimaced and struck his forehead with the palm of his hand. No, no, no… this didn't mean anything. It didn't mean she actually cared about him. It didn't mean her tears had been real. Yet why did his heart ache when he looked into those conflicted eyes? Why did he stare at that enticing gold that would always make him feel at a loss? Glancing at her eyes felt as if he were glancing straight into her soul. And he could see the disappointment, the anger and hurt that dwelled within her. And all of those emotions had been born because of him.

Yet it didn't change anything. It couldn't change anything. If he had hurt Azula so badly, it should serve to make sure their relationship would remain as platonic as it should. Maybe she hated him now, but that wasn't going to change anything either. The words she had uttered a long time ago crossed his mind once again…

"_Nobody said you had to like me"_

If things had worked back then, they could work now as well. They were only supposed to be a gladiator and a sponsor. That was the way it should be. The way it should have remained at all times.

He sat down on a bench within the stand-by room and placed his head between his hands, wondering what on earth had he gotten himself into when he had accepted the deal she had offered him so long ago…

The Princess's frown deepened as she fueled her rage towards Sokka. And he had dared accuse her of being selfish… he had no idea what he had put her through! And he didn't even care! Was it the first time he had ever taken into account that his words could hurt her? Yes, he had claimed she was poison… yet so was he. And he had stung her worse than he imagined. All she could do was resist and attempt to survive that venom of his that aimed to destroy her…

She entered the sponsor's balcony and dropped on her seat, throwing her head back as she tried to cool herself down. Letting his idiocy affect her would do her no good. She had to perform to her usual standard, never showing any weaknesses to anyone. He would likely learn his lesson on listening to her by the hand of the Savage Hook, and, hopefully, he would understand his place in the world after the wild lunatic she had heard about was through with him.

The door creaked when someone else entered the room. Azula hardly registered the sound, her mind so invested in hating Sokka that she hardly realized she wasn't alone anymore. She straightened her back and stared at the Arena determinedly, hoping the opposite sponsor would understand she wasn't to be bothered today.

"Ah, I can hardly believe I'm finally before you, Princess" said a man's voice, bringing Azula out of her musings. She frowned before letting her eyes shift towards her left to study the man she had challenged…

He looked to be at least twice her age. He had a Manchu hairdo: his long strands of hair composed a braid that scrolled down to his waist. He also had a long and slender mustache, and his green eyes matched the green garments he wore, which Azula found quite inappropriate. Green was the color of the Earth Kingdom… which no longer existed. A gladiator could wear green to show he was an earthbender, but a sponsor doing the same was quite displeasing. It felt like an affront to her, to her father and to the Fire Nation.

"I'm afraid I can't say the same" Azula spoke viciously, her previous anger peaked when faced with a stranger she had come to dislike instantly "I assume you're the Savage Hook's sponsor"

"Oh, where are my manners?" said the man, chuckling and shaking his head "My name is Long Feng, and I'm…"

"Oh… Long Feng, you said?" Azula repeated, raising her eyebrows and eyeing him with further disapproval "It seems I actually know who you are, despite what I thought…"

"You do?" asked the man, smiling as he took his seat next to Azula.

"You attempted to double-cross the Fire Nation when the war was at its peak" Azula muttered "You were Ba Sing Se's Grand Secretariat, and also head of the Ba Sing Se law enforcers, the Dai Li. You were striking bargains with the Fire Nation in secret, knowing there was no way you would withstand the power of our armies if they attacked your city, yet you never kept to the ends of your deals. When the comet came for the second time, Ba Sing Se and all its leaders were forced to surrender to our forces, and even though you had already proven your quality as a traitor, you sought to retain all your titles and positions by claiming allegiance to the Fire Nation. My father knew better than to trust a man like you, though"

"I'd say otherwise" muttered Long Feng "I had nothing to gain by betraying the Fire Nation once more…"

"You had nothing to gain by betraying us in the first place" Azula declared.

"It's a risk you must take when you know you're playing for the losing team" said Long Feng "It's no easy feat to juggle your fate between two sides of the same war"

"In that case, you only prove you're not too bright" said Azula "If you knew you were standing on the losing side, it would have been easier to join the winning side than to hop from one nation to the other recklessly"

"Betraying my people wasn't as simple as you might believe" said Long Feng "Even though I was still on the losing side, odds could have tipped to our favor eventually. Betraying them right away was too dangerous a decision for me to make"

"Which is all I need to know to understand how unreliable and unworthy of ruling you are" said Azula "If you can't make up your mind about how you're going to play your game, you don't even deserve to be a player"

"Harsh and powerful, just as the rumors said" Long Feng commented, smiling "I only hope your gladiator is as sharp as your tongue, Princess"

Azula clenched the armrests of her chair, her nails digging into the soft fabric at the reminder of her gladiator. Oh, he wasn't as sharp… that much she knew. Yet…

"Why do you believe he should be that sharp?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, the man I sponsor is not like me, Princess" said Long Feng, chuckling "He knows what side he's playing for"

"And what side might that be?"

"The side that is willing to slice his opponent to shreds" said Long Feng, smirking cruelly.

Azula frowned, wondering if he truly believed Sokka could be reduced so easily. His trash talk was somewhat worrisome, yet Azula kept reminding herself that he was a betrayer. He wasn't to be trusted.

"He sounds far more reliable than you, if that's the case" said Azula, just as another person entered the room.

"Princess, Lord Long Feng…" said an Arena staff member, bowing down at them. Azula frowned at hearing him address the man by her side so respectfully. Despite Ozai had removed him from his seat of power, Long Feng remained in control of the enforcers and retained a lordship he had been granted by Earth King Kuei many years before. She hadn't approved of that decision when it had been made, and she most certainly did not approve of it now "What shall the time limit be?"

"Oh, twenty minutes should suffice to enjoy the show" said Long Feng, smirking "Don't you agree, Princess?"

"I suppose" Azula muttered, her frown growing stronger. The way Long Feng smiled… she could tell. He basked in the violence. He genuinely enjoyed the gladiator fights.

"Twenty minutes it is" said the man, writing the number down before leaving the room with another bow.

"Where were we…? Ah, you said he was reliable, didn't you?" said Long Feng "I wouldn't say he is, unless you're relying on him to butcher your gladiator. You are most welcome to trust him in that regard"

"You seem to believe blindly in him…"

"I believe in his wild side" said Long Feng, smirking "He has gone mad with grief, my gladiator. His village was burned down by the Fire Nation when he was but a boy. He tried to fight against the Fire Nation in his teenage years, but he was caught and forced to become a gladiator. Several friends of his died upon capture… if you remind him of it enough, his black heart will begin to beat wildly and he will attack anyone that stands in his way until he satisfies his thirst for revenge. But that thirst of his is unquenchable. His rage has made him become completely oblivious to reason. He only cares for blood and death"

"And you seem to be pleased by that" said Azula, raising an eyebrow "Do you thrive in other people's misfortune, or are you simply aroused at the thought of blood?"

"When you're in a seat of power, Princess, you merely watch as everything else develops beneath you. Pain, misfortune, suffering… they're amusing to witness from afar, are they not?"

Azula's nostrils flared at those words. She hated to realize she had used to think in the same way as this man. She had been convinced that emotions were useless, just as her father had taught her… and she would sit back and witnessed the way others drowned in pain, enjoying the show just as Long Feng was hoping to do right now. But she wasn't that girl anymore. She knew the toll emotions could have in a person. She was still paying the price for having feelings for that dumb gladiator of hers. Enjoying the way others suffered merely for entertainment was the practice that had led the Fire Nation to create the Gladiator business. And what good came from watching pain? What good came from agony? A long time ago she would have given those questions a formidable answer. But as she was now, she couldn't answer them.

The golden grids from the stand-by rooms moved upwards as the man with the megaphone introduced both fighters. Azula was surprised when her heart didn't jump at the sight of Sokka. It seemed her conversation with Long Feng had been the first thing to get Sokka out of her mind in a very long time.

Sokka took a deep breath and looked up at the sponsors' balcony. There she was, looking troubled and angry. He sighed, realizing they needed to talk this matter out as soon as possible. At this point he was willing to shut up and let her say everything she needed to say… but they had to solve this somehow. Perhaps he had managed to ascertain they would never be together, but this had gone much farther than it should have. There had to be a way to return to what they had been before…

"… START!"

He had been ignoring the man on the megaphone, not paying any heed to what he was saying. It was only with that last scream that Sokka realized he had entered the Arena and he was about to face off against the Savage-…

Sokka's loss of concentration almost cost him his head within a second into the match. His opponent had attempted to strike him with an impressive sword, a long blade whose tip was shaped as a hook. The gladiator had jumped at him so quickly that Sokka couldn't respond by doing anything but bending over backwards to avoid getting his throat slit.

Sokka jumped back, trying to put some distance between himself and his rival, but the man lounged towards him, his two hook swords in tow as he glared at him with crazed and unfocused eyes. Was it Sokka's idea, or were his pupils larger than they should be?

The Savage Hook's shaggy brown hair shook as he tried to hack at Sokka diagonally. Sokka kept jumping back, avoiding every blow that threatened to maim him. His hand darted over his shoulder quickly and he released his sword for its sheath just in time to parry the blow from the Hook's left sword, but the man's right arm slid towards an opening. He delivered a deep gash in Sokka's sword arm, the first place he found bare skin for him to cut.

Sokka yelled out loud at the unexpected pain, his hand growing too weak to continue holding his black sword. He pulled away from the Hook, snarling at him and performing a barrel roll to pick up his sword with his left hand and knock his opponent to the ground. But rolling on the floor served no purpose, since the Hook hopped right over Sokka and turned to attack him again. Sokka was forced to take his sword into his left hand to fight back somehow. This man was a monster. He didn't stop, he didn't slow down, he simply attacked with a single thought in his mind: murder.

Sokka grimaced upon this realization. He was going for the kill. He was really trying to kill him.

And using only one sword to fend him off would be no use. He had to even the fight somehow, although his right arm felt so numb he was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold his own against him. He couldn't quite feel how the blood trickled down his arm, but could hear it dripping on the sand. For some reason, he could hear the blood although he couldn't hear the crowd. His senses had become devoted to the combat and nothing more.

He took a few steps back, wary of his opponent. His gaze flickered towards the sponsor's balcony, although he didn't get to see Azula properly. In order to set things right with her, he had to survive today. In order to return home one day, he had to survive. He had come too far to fall before a wild psycho with twin hook-swords.

And thus, he forced Azula out of his mind completely for the first time in months. He had to focus on the fight and on the fight alone.

It took a lot of effort to move his right arm, yet he clasped his sword with it as his left reached out for his boomerang. It might be no good to fight dually against him with two different weapons, but he had no other choice. The Savage Hook lunged at him again with a roar, attacking Sokka's right flank in hopes to worsen his injury.

Sokka spun around just as the Hook came closer and he delivered a blow with his boomerang at the Hook's unprotected head. The boomerang was bloody after digging into the Hook's skull, but Sokka didn't have time to process that. As he fell due to the impact, one of the Hook's blades found its way to Sokka's neck and the hook's tip lodged itself in the small gap between his neck and his armor, injuring his collarbone badly before Sokka could detach it, groaning in pain once more.

The Hook shook his head, having it hard to see properly as his own blood ran down his face. He wiped it away with his hand, albeit knowing his eyesight would be blurred by red again shortly, but he only needed to clear his vision enough to attack the Blue Wolf once more.

He yelled and brought one of his blades down on Sokka, who parried the blow with difficulty while using Space Sword. He tossed his boomerang at his opponent, attempting to injure him in the same manner as he had hurt him earlier. The weapon struck the Hook in the ear, and blood oozed from it. Had he cut his earlobe? Sokka didn't know and didn't care. He brought out his knife now, seeing how the boomerang hadn't returned to him, and he tried to use the Hook's momentary confusion to his advantage.

He had to jump back when the Hook linked his swords together by their hooks and swung them around dangerously, keeping Sokka at bay effectively. His fighting style was wild and rash… but the Hook seemed to be stronger than Sokka. He couldn't win at this rate.

"It would seem your fighter knows how to bite back…" said Long Feng, smirking "I don't know when was the last time someone managed to cut himself a slice of Jet…"

Azula tried to remain impassive at his words, but he was truly disturbing. She wanted to think Sokka deserved getting cut and hurt by his opponent, wanted to keep thinking he had asked for it… but the Savage Hook's brutality was beyond anything she had expected. The man would only recoil at the pain for a couple of seconds before attempting to slay his foe again. His skill with his weapons was remarkable and terrifying at the same time. Could Sokka win this fight? Could he?!

Sokka grimaced when he realized the best way he could have attacked his opponent right now would have been with his boomerang… which was out of his reach now. How more foolish cold he get? An idea came to his head when he realized the handle of the second sword was spinning very close to him…

He stabbed the end of Jet's weapon with his knife, his aim impressing even him when he managed to nail the sword's handle to the ground. But the Savage Hook lifted his other hook sword, releasing them from their joint combination and flinging his second sword upwards. The sword's momentum helped it slip out of the grasp of Sokka's knife. The sharp edges of the hilt nearly sliced Sokka's nose as the sword flew overhead.

Sokka snarled and lifted his knife again just as Jet caught his sword in his free hand. Despite being the wild brute he seemed to be, the man had some brains too. His skill was remarkable. No wonder he was so high in the ranking.

The Savage Hook attacked again, unwilling to take any breaks. He attempted to stab Sokka's face several times, and the Blue Wolf parried and avoided the blows even though he was starting to feel weary from the blood loss. There was a pulsating pain all over his left shoulder and his right arm felt almost numb. What made the Hook most dangerous wasn't his wild side… it was the fact that he knew exactly how to cut up his opponent's odds with his blades.

The Savage brought down both his swords on Sokka at the same time, and the Blue Wolf had no choice but to hold the blow back with his two weapons, his arms trembling as he did. Sokka felt the sweat dropping from his forehead, saw the furious look on his rival's face, realized he was in danger of getting killed… it was all too reminiscent of his life as an amateur gladiator. Back then he had been determined on surviving no matter the cost, and he would always find a way to defeat his enemy… could he find a way to beat this wild beast?

Jet pushed him, the rage in his eyes growing stronger. The blood on his face only made his appearance more intimidating. Sokka devoted his strength in pushing back at him to get him off him… but the Hook ducked suddenly, making Sokka fall forward and hooking his blades around Sokka's sword and knife to keep him from using his weapons. And, crouching on the sand as he was, the Savage Hook stabbed Sokka's thighs with the sharp tips of his swords' hilts.

Sokka grimaced, refusing to scream when he felt the pain running up and down his body. Were the hilts of the swords digging into his bones? He couldn't tell for certain. He tried to pull away, but the pain was too strong. He ended up falling on his back, the swords still attached to him, and the Hook dragged them down his legs, tearing his skin open…

Azula's eyes grew wider and wider as she witnessed the way Sokka's body was being ravaged by his rival. He was getting sliced to shreds, just as Long Feng had told her before…

And the man had the guts to laugh under his breath right next to her. He was actually amused by the fight. He was enjoying the slaughter as if it were a stage play. Azula resisted the urge to electrocute him right where he was, revolted completely by the man. He would be even more amused if she let him see how disturbed she was by this mad carnage.

Sokka had no idea what to do, his body unwilling to respond to the pain. On a desperate whim, he took the bomb he had carried on his belt and he threw it down at Jet's head as powerfully as he could. The smoke released by the bomb took the man by surprise for long enough for Sokka to sit up and detach the blades from his legs, his fingers getting cut by the sharp weapons in the process.

He crawled out of the smoke cloud, reaching out for the nearest furniture piece, one of those unusual wooden constructs that had never been much use. He used it to force himself back on his feet, but his legs kept giving away. If it weren't his legs, his arms would be the ones to fail him. No… it couldn't end like this. He couldn't end like this. He wouldn't go down, not without fighting back.

He finally got to his feet again, cringing as he felt the sand grains seething into the wounds on his legs…

"Bastard cut my pants…" he said, chuckling as he thought of how ridiculous it was to be upset about the pair of pants instead of his injuries.

Using the smoke to get away from the Hook's grasp had been a good idea… for now. But it didn't seem such a great thought when he feared his rival would hop out of nowhere and tear his throat open. He grimaced and shook his head, refusing to let himself falter. He had to win. There was nothing else to it. Losing wasn't an option. The Hook had decided it would be kill or die… and he sure as hell wasn't going to die today.

The smoke dissipated and Sokka caught sight of the Hook's figure. He was coughing due to the smoke, but he had his swords at the ready, looking around himself in hopes to find his prey. Sokka gulped and realized he had to give the Hook the same treatment he had delivered to him. He had to cut him where it hurt. Killing the beast by the head was no use if the beast's limbs continued moving.

He stumbled as he made his way towards the Hook as silently as he could, but he heard him anyways. The Hook spun around and parried Sokka's sword with his sword's hilt, making Sokka stare at him in despair. How many uses did those damned swords have?!

The Hook swung his other sword at Sokka's neck from below, the hook at the end of the weapon getting attached to the edge of the Blue Wolf's helmet to fling it off his head. The rim of the blade grazed Sokka's neck and cheekbone, leaving another large gash on him, but Sokka didn't care. He struck the Hook's ribs with his knife, thankful to discover his armor wasn't sturdy at his flanks. The Hook yelped before flinging down his sword on Sokka's breastplate, trying to tear it off, but Sokka continued prodding at his ribs, twisting the knife inside him until the Hook was left with no choice but to push him away with his other sword.

Sokka fell back, falling down on the ground right next to the well. He helped himself up with the help of the furniture once more, his eyes never leaving his enemy. Jet removed the knife from his body and glared at it angrily. He tossed it aside and moved towards Sokka, limping, to the Blue Wolf's satisfaction. At last, his attack had taken its toll on his enemy.

"That all you've got…?" Sokka asked, reaching out for his last weapon, his club. If he got lucky he might get around picking up his previous weapons, but his club and his sword would have to suffice for now. If it came to it, he would use his teeth and nails to defeat his rival, but he wouldn't lose. He refused to lose.

The Hook grew even angrier at Sokka's bravado, and he yelled loudy before running towards Sokka again, his killer intent more dangerous than before.

Sokka would have wanted to duck and make Jet fall into the well, just as he had almost done while facing the Eastern Wayfarer, but his legs wouldn't respond so quickly this time. He lifted his sword and club, his injured fingers stinging him as he braced himself for the impact against the Hook's weapons.

The Hook avoided the club, realizing it was quite a heavy weapon. Too heavy to be used by a man who had lost that much blood. Tiring him out should be enough to bring him to drop that weapon and render him powerless with only one sword. Once he couldn't defend himself, the Blue Wolf would be at his mercy.

Sokka tried to fling his club at the Hook's head, thinking he just had to deliver a strong enough blow to destroy him… but Jet kept dodging his blows. It was no use, the club was too heavy and large for him to wield when his left clavicle had been hurt so badly and his arm was begging for mercy.

Almost unwillingly, Sokka let go of the club, knowing he would be signing his death warrant by dropping it or by continuing using it. But he had gotten himself backed into a corner, and wasting his energies with the club would be no help when he could save his strength and pick up his boomerang or his knife later. He lunged at the Hook with Space Sword, trying to strike him on his still unhurt flank, but his sword was caught between his blades. The two hooks were keeping his weapon in place, making Sokka grimace as he tried to find a way to release himself from Jet's grip. The Savage Hook seemed pleased at having the Blue Wolf at his mercy, and he began wondering how to finish him off at last…

But Sokka suddenly jumped towards him, Space Sword sliding through the hooks of Jet's swords and digging its way into their owner's stomach, the powerful metal piercing through the armor much like he had cut Kyoshi's Heir's sword in two.

Jet snarled and released his opponent's sword, and he attempted to chuck Sokka's head off by moving both his swords towards the base of his neck. Sokka managed to tilt his neck back in time, but the rims of the swords caught his chin and drew two red lines under his jaw.

Sokka stumbled back for a moment, Space Sword leaving Jet's stomach. He had been about to attack again, trying to ignore the pain in his new injuries, but he found himself knocked to the floor by a knuckle-fist delivered by the Savage Hook. He had used his sword's hilt to make his punch even deadlier, and he succeeded in slashing Sokka's cheek and having him bite his tongue accidentally upon the unexpected hit. Sokka spat blood out, his hair strands coming off his wolf's tail. The Hook attempted to stab his legs again, but Sokka miraculously managed to roll away, pushing himself up thanks to surges of adrenaline he didn't know he had in him. He caught sight of his boomerang a few feet away… if he could reach it, maybe he could survive this fight. If he could even the ground between him and the Savage Hook, he could manage to win somehow…

But the Hook attacked him again, his swords aiming at Sokka's head. He was really intent on beheading him, wasn't he? Well, it was only logical. Sokka's armor was far sturdier than his, and he had no choice but to lunge at the unprotected skin on Sokka's neck, legs and arms…

Who was winning? Who was losing? Sokka honestly had no idea at this point. But it didn't matter. The outcome to this fight wouldn't be decided by the judges, that was a given. The one who survived would be the one to win, just as it had been in the old times. And just as in old times, Sokka would survive. The image of Azula appeared in his mind again, but not in the way it used to do it back when he had been in the Amateur League. Back then he had pictured her smirking cruelly at him, mocking him for being weak… now he could see her tears. He could see her anger. He could see how disappointed she was in him. He might never be able to make up for the pain he had caused her… but he had to win here to avoid letting her down as her gladiator as well. It was the only thing in which she would rely on him these days. It was the only thing he was any use at. He couldn't fail her here.

Sokka ducked when the Hook reached him, and his head dug into the wound on his opponent's stomach. Jet's blood drenched his hair, making him grimace in disgust, but he made use of his rival's momentum to flip him over his head and throw him on his back on the sand.

Jet's head was the first thing to collide with the ground. His entire body weight was supported by his head only momentarily, but it was enough to overwhelm him for once. He had almost let go of his swords due to the hard fall he had taken, and the blood that oozed out from his wounds was staining the sand around him, but even so, he found the strength to turn around and stand up. He had to keep fighting. He would never falter.

Sokka stumbled his way to his boomerang, clasping it with his maimed fingers. Blood clung onto the weapon just as it had a long time ago, when he had killed a man for the first time… He flinched as his legs became unable to hold his weight, and he fell on his knees, pain making his eyesight blurry.

By chance he looked upwards… and he found himself staring at the sponsor's balcony.

He could see her clearly. Maybe he couldn't see anything else… but he could see her. He could see the concern in her eyes, the way her already pale skin was losing its color as she witnessed a bloody combat worthy of the strongest fighters in the ranking. Her red lips seemed to form a name… he had no idea if she was actually calling out for him, but he could hear it… he could hear her voice calling him. He could hear her asking him not to give up even if his body refused to respond. And he had to obey… he would obey. For she was his Princess, and he was her warrior.

He jumped to his feet at the right timing to stop Jet from bringing his hooks on him. Sokka grimaced and pushed him away with the weapon he had recovered, his fingers paining him further due to how hard he was holding his boomerang's edge. His eyes began glistening with rage too, much like Jet's, and he found himself powered by strength he didn't know he still had in him.

He brought down his sword on Jet's second weapon and they pushed at each other, doing their best to find the perfect opening…

The Savage Hook's leg suddenly struck Sokka's stomach, making him lose his breath… yet he kept his arms up, barring his attack. Jet continued kicking at him until Sokka leaped and took his foot between his knees, flipping him over and knocking him to the floor unexpectedly.

Jet was about to attack from the ground when he discovered he couldn't move his arm… something was stopping it. He looked down to find that the something was the edge of Sokka's boomerang, hacked into his skin. Jet yelled and pushed Sokka off him, but the pain on his arm, ribs and stomach was too much for him to remain as agile as before. He stood up and gritted his teeth, dropping one of his swords shortly to throw the boomerang away, but as he tried to take the weapon off him, his previously uninjured arm was met by a black blade. Sokka had no idea if he had pierced his bone with the powerful thrust, but he had the feeling he probably had.

The Hook shouted and tried to hit Sokka with his remaining blade. Sokka took the boomerang from Jet's skin and used it to strike him on the shoulder. His armor protected him from most the blow, but it made him recoil regardless. Sokka aimed towards his neck now, finding skin he could tear at, and he attacked without second thoughts. The Hook yelped in pain and fell to his knees, Sokka still striking him at full power.

It took a moment for Sokka to realize the Hook wasn't holding either of his swords anymore. Jet still seemed to strive to attack him, but his eyesight was clouded and he couldn't sense anything around him anymore. He stretched a hand towards Sokka, finding his leg and clawing at him, just hoping to damage him a little further…

Sokka slammed his sword's hilt down on Jet's hand and raised the blade, ready to deliver the final blow… when he realized he didn't have to deliver the final blow. His despair to survive dissipated as he stared at the Hook's writhing figure at his feet, and he took a few steps back as Jet collapsed, unable to move anymore.

Sokka's chest heaved as he stared at the man who had nearly taken his life. He had spent his adrenaline and his every emotion in the deadly combat. His legs gave away beneath him, his mind becoming clear for the first time in what felt like ages.

He'd had the chance to kill a man. And he hadn't taken it.

He had always feared that, whenever his vicious side took over him, he would become completely unable to see reason, just like the man he had just defeated. Back in Hui Yi he had killed more men than he could count, always telling himself afterwards that it had been the only way. The blood staining his hands would always disgust him, making him wonder if he had become a monster or if he still knew how to hold back from killing a man if he was given the choice.

Knowing there still seemed to be a shred of humanity within him was enough to appease his self-hatred if only for a moment.

"T-the winner is the Blue Wolf!" the man of the megaphone shouted, not sure if Sokka would drop unconscious as well. Upon seeing he wouldn't faint, the man stumbled and gave out his declaration.

"What a magnificent combat" said Long Feng, smiling and bringing out a bag of money "You have quite a powerful gladiator. It's what I should have expected from the Princess, to be able to find such a strong fighter"

Azula grimaced at his words. That snake didn't even care for his gladiator's wins or losses… it wasn't even about the money. It was only about the blood. He simply enjoyed the sight of two slaves cutting each other up in attempts to survive in the sand… She had hoped these sorts of people would keep to the Amateur League. It was a far more appropriate place for heartless bastards like this man.

"I look forward to pitting our gladiators against each other on another occasion" said Long Feng, standing up and leaving the bag of money on his now vacant seat "Farewell, Princess Azula"

Azula didn't reply, sickened as she was by the man. She had never thought she would see Sokka fighting like that again. She couldn't believe he had been driven to such extremes. He had won almost miraculously… she had no idea how he had managed to stand up with those long gashes running down his legs. How much blood had he lost? How had he found the strength to keep moving?

She saw how the staff members helped both gladiators out of the sand pit, picking up their weapons as they led them to the waiting rooms, which had pretty much turned into hospital wings by now. Azula's hands slid up to her hair as she shook her head, stuck in denial. Yes, they had surpassed the Blind Bandit now… but at what cost?

The horrible wounds she had seen Sokka sustain filled her eyes with tears. Why? Why did she feel like crying when she had been expecting him to get badly hurt? He deserved the pain… he did. He had it coming…

But she didn't want to see him in pain. She couldn't bear it. It didn't matter how hard she tried to hate him, she couldn't do it. Her mind wanted him to suffer in the same way she had because of everything he had put her through these days… but her heart couldn't stand seeing him in pain.

She shook her head again, desperate. Nothing made sense anymore. She had become a living contradiction. He had turned her world upside down without her awareness, turned her into someone she could hardly recognize anymore. And after meeting Long Feng, she was actually glad to have changed so much. To think she had been anything like that horrible man…

Her legs trembled as she stood up, picking up the green bag with the money. She gritted her teeth and left the room, feeling her strength failing her as she headed towards the waiting rooms, hoping the medical staff would be healing him already.

She peeked into every room, coming across the one where the Savage Hook was being tended in. Azula was surprised to see almost a dozen doctors were working on keeping him alive, yet, as expected, there was no sight of Long Feng in the room. She walked away to the next room, desperate, and she finally found Sokka, sitting on a couch, alone.

"Where are…?!" she gasped, looking around in shock "Why aren't you being treated?!"

"They're all… with the Hook" replied Sokka, his voice sounding weaker than usual.

"There were at least ten physicians working on him! I'm pretty damn sure one of them could be healing you instead!"

"He was unconscious… he's a priority…" Sokka whispered, repeating what he had heard the men saying.

"That's bullshit!" Azula yelled, careless about her cursing "You're my gladiator! They should be tending to you right now!"

"C-could you… stop yelling…?" Sokka asked, grimacing.

"Oh, now you're going to tell me to stop yelling?!" Azula shouted, rolling her eyes and walking through the room, searching for the medical equipment she knew was stored in there somewhere "No way in hell I'll stop yelling, you useless jerk…"

"Uh… I beat the guy, you know?" he muttered, closing his eyes "I could've done… a lot worse"

"Oh, really?!" Azula shrieked, taking a humid towel from a drawer which she slammed shut roughly "Well, guess what, fool? You could have done a lot better!"

"What are you going to…?" asked Sokka, frowning a little as Azula dropped beside him, the towel on her hand.

"Just… get that damn thing off" she said, taking hold of the armor and making Sokka wince.

"Ow! C-could you be… a little more careful?" he muttered, lifting his arms as she helped him remove the metallic plates that covered his body, revealing his badly bruised and cut-up body.

"Why the hell should I be?" she grunted "I shouldn't even be doing this, damn it! You had it coming! You deserve to be in pain!"

"W-what? Oh, come on…" Sokka grunted "A-are you actually glad I got… sliced up like that?"

Azula had been about to clean the wounds on his face when he said that. She dropped the towel on his lap, surprising him. Her nails dug into the couch, her head tilted downwards.

"Y-you think… you think I'm glad? Y-you really think…"

"A… Azula…"

"You're the worst! YOU REALLY ARE THE WORST!" she screamed, unable to hold back the tears of rage anymore "I sure as hell am NOT glad you're like this! And if you weren't such an asshole, maybe you wouldn't be as hurt as you are!"

"W-what?" asked Sokka, shocked.

"I went down to that stand-by room just to tell you the Hook was a murderer! I was trying to warn you to be careful, that he had killed his opponents before! But you didn't listen! YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN!"

Sokka's eyes grew wide as he heard those words. So she hadn't gone to him just to talk about their situation… she had been trying to tell him about the Hook. Even though things had been so strained between them, she had been trying to keep to her end of their usual bargain. She had wanted to give him the edge she always provided him with, the edge of knowing your enemy. And he had been stupid enough to let it go to waste for trying to read Azula beforehand… how many foolish mistakes had he done these past few days for being stupid enough to think he knew her? Why had he been dumb enough to believe he understood her? No, he didn't. He didn't know her. She remained a mystery to him, and now he was sure she would choose to remain one forever…

… Because as he saw the way her tears fell from, her eyes once more, he realized she wasn't playing at anything. Those tears were real, as real as every wound he had sustained today. And her tears had been real a week ago, too.

He had already been disgusted with himself for most of what he had done… but now he realized the worst of his crimes had been his hurtful ways towards her. No, she hadn't meant to make him think she controlled him when she told him to have fun on his date. That kiss had been her last resort… she had been showing him what he truly meant to her. She had done it because she wanted to be with him. The words had been a display of her jealousy… because he had been flirting like a fool with another woman. Because she had thought what they had was special. And it was… even when they couldn't be together.

And he had misunderstood everything. He had ruined everything thanks to that overthinking brain of his. She had carried him on her back after Toph had pummeled him even though she could have simply ordered someone else to do it… why had she done it herself? He hadn't been able to understand… until now.

He hadn't been the only one to be smitten in this particular relationship.

And she had been the one to pay the price that night. Every damn thing he had said to her… what had gotten into him?! Sure, he hadn't understood her intent by kissing him… but that hadn't entitled him to hurt her as he had. What he had said… as he looked back on it he couldn't help but be horrified. He had thought his dark side only came out in the Arena whenever he had to claw his way to survive… but it had appeared that night as well. And all he could do now was regret every little thing he'd done, every little thing he'd said…

"Y-you're such an asshole… you… you just… I hate you…" she whispered, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

He was the worst, just as she had said. She really had cared about him. She had. And he had betrayed her trust in every possible way…

Not knowing what else to do, he took her body in his arms and brought her close, disregarding the pain that threatened to knock him unconscious any second now. Holding her against his body as she cried made his throat burn as well, tears dropping from his own eyes.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, his head going to her hair as he hugged her with the little strength he had left "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

Hearing those words only made her cry harder. She wanted to get away from him, out of those arms and run as far as she could. She didn't want to see him again for the rest of her life. He was the worst thing to ever happen to her…

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

But she couldn't pull away no matter if she kept telling herself to get off his grip. He was weak, it wouldn't be so hard to push him off! But just as she wanted to get away from him, she wanted to stay with him too. She wanted to keep hearing him whisper those words in her ear. What was he apologizing for, exactly? There were so many things he had to repent about…

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

But even if he had said those words for each and every time he had cut a deeper wound into her heart, she couldn't forgive him. She wouldn't forgive him. She had bothered trusting him, thinking of him as her partner… and he had thanked her by shattering her heart, by letting her down in every possible way, by proving her trust had been futile…

Trust was for fools. Fear was the only reliable way.

"I'm sorry, Azula… I'm sorry…"

He kept whispering into her ear even though he knew nothing he said could be of any use. The damage had already been done.

"… I'm sorry…"

**A/N:**

**So… I feel obliged to apologize as well for all the hearts I've broken with these last chapters! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY! I promise I'll make it up to you eventually! Going down this rough path with Sokka and Azula can be hellish at times, but I assure you it'll be worth it if you stick with me through this insane story! (at least, I hope you'll think it was worth it when we make it to the best parts of this fic…)**

**Just as I said in chapter 23, this story is nowhere near finished, take my word on that. This chapter closes off our second story arc and we'll be moving onto the third one with our next installment! Look forward to it! Our next arc will feature a surprise I'm sure you won't want to miss! And it also will tone down the craziness a little so you don't suffer much until further notice. So… sorry for the heartbreak again, and see you on the next one!**


	31. Chapter 31

Sokka cringed when Song placed herbal moisture on his legs' damaged skin. He knew the treatment would help him on the long run, but at the moment it only served to enhance his pain. Song had been doing her best to cure him for about three days now, using her astounding skills as a healer to patch his wounds and ease the fever he had been suffering from, but he was still far from recovering completely.

Song hadn't questioned him regarding why he had ended up in such bad shape this time around, but Sokka could tell she was waiting until he seemed to be feeling better before asking him about it. She had him rest at most times, only waking him once in a while to change his bandages and give him his medicines. Due to how badly wounded he was, the meals Song provided him with were smaller in size and quantity than usual, but, since Sokka's appetite had been faltering for a while now, he didn't complain about his new diet.

Song wiped away the ointments after leaving them in Sokka's skin for several minutes. Sokka groaned a little as she used a wet towel to remove the moisture.

"I… I never got around asking…" muttered Sokka, panting as the pain flared up and down his extremities "Are my bones damaged…?"

"On your legs?" asked Song "No, whatever hurt you didn't penetrate your skin deep enough to reach your bones. You should count yourself lucky"

"I do… I was sure it was the other way around" said Sokka, chuckling a little and laying down on the couch.

Song looked at him, concerned. He had been brought home by the Royal Guards, but the Princess hadn't come with them. She hadn't dropped by to know how his recovery was going. Seeing how Sokka's behavior had changed after the fight, Song had somewhat expected it to mean their relationship was back to normal… but when she studied Sokka closely, she could see there was something else bothering him other than the superficial pain he had sustained. There was regret in his eyes. There was a hint of sadness beneath his reassuring smiles whenever she asked him if her treatment hurt too much.

And seeing how he didn't seem to be as displeased as he had been before, maybe it was finally the right time to delve into what had happened between him and the Princess…

"Sokka…"

"Hm?" he muttered, his eyes closing as he breathed heavily, still in pain.

"C-can I ask you something?"

"I… I suppose" he replied, frowning slightly and looking at Song warily.

"What… what happened to you these past few weeks?" she asked "You weren't acting like yourself…"

Sokka would have sighed if he could have done so without agonizing. Even breathing was hard right now.

"I guess I've been acting like a jerk these days…"

"Well, I wouldn't go so far…"

"Not so much towards you" said Sokka, closing his eyes again "Towards other people. Towards people who didn't deserve it"

"Are you talking about the Princess?" asked Song, biting her lip.

Sokka opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, images of Azula flashing in his mind. Song was shocked to see the regret she had previously seen in his eyes was suddenly growing stronger than before. Maybe she really shouldn't have asked anything…

"Not only her… but mostly, her" said Sokka "I've been making so many mistakes lately I can't even keep count anymore. I ruined everything, Song… everything. I was stupid enough to think I understood her. I didn't understand her, and I don't think I ever will. She'll never forgive me for what I've done… and heck, I don't see why she should"

"W-what did you do to her?" asked Song, shocked.

"I… I hurt her, Song" he muttered "I made her cry. And I was so lost in my own point of view that I never tried to think of what I was putting her through. And now… now it's too late. There's nothing I can do to repair this"

"Sokka…" whispered Song, lowering her gaze.

"She trusted me and I betrayed her, Song…" said Sokka, grimacing as tears stung his eyes "I ruined everything"

"Is that why she… why she won't come to see you?" asked Song.

"She has no reason to come see me" muttered Sokka "I earned these wounds. I deserved every single one of them"

"But… but you're her gladiator" said Song "If only because of that, she should care about…"

"I don't know if I'm her gladiator anymore" said Sokka "I don't think she wants anything else to do with me. And I can't blame her if she doesn't"

"But…" Song muttered, not knowing what else to say. This couldn't end like this. She could see Sokka didn't want it to end either, but he didn't have the courage to fight anymore. He truly believed there was nothing he could do to make up for his mistakes. And maybe there wasn't, but… "If you really ruined everything, at the very least you should go see her and tell her how sorry you are for having hurt her…"

"That won't be any use…" said Sokka "What good would it be at this point? She doesn't want anything to do with me. She probably doesn't want to see me ever again…"

"You regret whatever you did to her… don't you?" asked Song, raising an eyebrow.

"With every fiber of my being… well, with each fiber the Hook didn't chop off me" he said.

"Well… even if there won't be anything else you can do for her, at the very least you can go to her and apologize, and ask if there's anything you can do to make it up to her" said Song.

"I don't think there's anything that could be done about this" Sokka muttered "I probably could spend the rest of my life trying to make amends, but she'd never forgive me anyway"

"Even so, Sokka… you have to try" said Song, biting her lip "You can't let things end like this between you two. Even if it takes your whole life to fix it, you have to try"

Sokka frowned a little, Song's words stinging him. He doubted Azula would take kindly to him attempting to make up for his mistakes. She had already given him too many chances, and he sure as hell didn't feel worthy of another one. But Song was right… he couldn't let go of this as it was. Azula's tears haunted him still… he had hurt her in ways nobody had ever hurt her before.

That was why he had to go to her once again and try to set things right. He was sure it would take him his every breath to try and restore what he had damaged, but he would go to any ends to make sure that, one day, Azula's tears would turn into smiles instead.

"Princess, the meeting will begin in fifteen minutes" said the Captain, bowing down to Azula as he delivered his message.

Azula nodded and placed her hairpiece on the topknot the servants had just finished arranging. Nowadays she would choose to wear a half-knot, allowing her long hair to slither down her back while placing her golden crown within a smaller knot. But seeing how she had to attend a very important war meeting today, she had decided to return to the top-knot, the hairstyle of her teenage years.

The Captain grimaced as he looked at Azula. Once again, she had left the Arena looking as if her heart had sustained worse injuries than the ones that had almost killed her gladiator… and once again, he hadn't been around to protect her. He hadn't kept her safe from the pain. Something had faded from her eyes, a spark that had been there before… and instead of wearing her trademark arrogant smirk on her face, her brow was furrowed and it had remained that way for three days now. Whatever Sokka had done to her this time seemed to have been the last straw. She was obviously determined not to show how emotionally scarred she was, and in doing so she had become far colder than ever before.

"Thank you, Captain" she muttered, her voice cold enough to match the glazing glare on her eyes.

The Captain gaped at her, in shock. Yes, perhaps that slave had put her through a lot more pain than any person should put another… and Azula had been badly hurt because of him. The Captain couldn't forgive him for it. But before knowing him, Azula would have never thanked him for fulfilling his duties. She would have never appreciated him as anything but a guard, seeing how that was the only thing he had ever been to her. Now he was her ally… a man who knew to respect her personal space, but would still stand by her no matter what. The Captain thought she'd never come to appreciate that, and he was thoroughly surprised to discover otherwise.

Azula exited the room with her head held high. The servants who had helped her get ready bowed down as she walked away, followed by the Captain and a few guards who had been standing by the door. Clad in her royal armor, Azula walked towards the Throne Room with determination. This was what she had been born to do. This was what mattered most to her. It was time to put aside the lowly matters that had clouded her better judgment these days and become the perfect heir her father wanted her to be.

The guards opened the curtains that concealed the Throne Room, and Azula strode inside with steady footing, leaving the Captain and the other men to await her in the large hallway. Most the council members had already arrived even though there were still ten minutes before the meeting would commence. Fire Lord Ozai was already sitting at his rightful place in the throne, surrounded by the flickering flames that each Fire Lord would cast around him whenever he sat on the high chair. There were two seats at either side of the Fire Lord, and, naturally, Azula headed towards her father's right while wondering who would be sitting at his left. These past few years the only seat available by Ozai's side had been hers…

Azula climbed to the seat on Ozai's right and bowed down at her father as solemnly as possible. Ozai gave her his trademark confident smirk and nodded at her. Azula took her place with her legs crossed beside him, hardly taking notice of the hot flames next to her.

"Welcome, Princess Azula" said Ozai "I trust you're ready for this meeting, as ever"

"Naturally" was Azula's reply "Who shall be joining at your left hand, father?"

"Oh, that would be your uncle" said Ozai, his apparent joy fading upon that confession "Being the important public figure he is, he must be present in important meetings such as this one"

"Is that so?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow "Are all important public figures supposed to be present in war meetings now?"

"I understand what you're concerned about" said Ozai "But you needn't worry. So long as your brother's honor remains as stained as it is, he will have no part in these meetings. But your uncle, despite what my better senses advise me, is a man of experience and he might be able to provide useful insights regarding what we must discuss today"

"And what shall we do if he resorts to talking about tea throughout the entire meeting?" asked Azula, amusing her father.

"Such behavior would be inexcusable and he wouldn't be welcome in my council anymore" declared Ozai "If tea is what he wants, he would do best to set up a shop instead of bothering us with his nonsense"

"I agree" said Azula, nodding promptly "Although it would truly be shameful for the Fire Lord's brother to waste away in a teashop"

"Iroh never shows any shame when it comes down to his hot-leaf juice" said Ozai "He doesn't show much shame regarding anything"

"Indeed" said Azula, shaking her head "So much for the great Dragon of the West"

Ozai smirked again. That girl was his one true heir, no doubt about it. He was proud of the woman his daughter had become, mostly because she reminded him of a younger version of himself. He also had been a prince eager to earn his place at his father's right hand, overcoming any obstacles to fulfill his ends. He had made it easier for his daughter, because he had seen many traits of himself on her even when she had been just a child, and he was pleased to see his efforts had paid off. Azula definitely was the right person to take charge of the Fire Nation once he was gone.

Time passed them by and the remaining Fire Nation military leaders arrived, taking their place before the world map that was splayed in the center of the room. Ozai began frowning when he realized his brother was still nowhere in sight and it was already time to begin the meeting.

"Shameful indeed…" he muttered before raising his voice and addressing the present members of the council "Let us begin this meeting, generals, Princess"

Upon his words, every person in the room stood up and bowed down towards him. Ozai remained seating on his throne, the flames flickering as he smirked, as ever pleased to listen to his people reciting the Fire Nation Oath at one voice.

"My life I give to my country, with my hands I fight for Fire Lord Ozai and our forefathers before him. With my mind I seek ways to better my country, and with my feet may our March of Civilization continue"

"Take your seats" he said, and he was obeyed immediately "War Minister Qin, let us hear you r reports regarding the situation in the Fire Nation Colonies"

"Yes, My Lord" said the War Minister, standing up and bowing at his superior once more "The Fire Nation Colonies have been…"

"Ah, I'm so sorry!" said a familiar voice, interrupting through Qin's report carelessly "I'm most ashamed, Ozai! I was taking a nap and I lost track of time…"

If Ozai's glare had been any harsher, it would have been strong enough to scorch the Fire Lord's older brother to cinders. Iroh had entered the chamber noisily, not embarrassed in the slightest by his lack of punctuality. Azula joined her father in glaring at the man as he walked past the council members, who eyed him with distaste as well.

"Your negligence speaks ill of yourself, brother" said Ozai.

"I apologize, Ozai…" said Iroh, smiling clumsily at him "It wasn't my intent to interrupt the meeting"

"It would seem old age is getting to you, brother" muttered Ozai "Perhaps you'll need a nurse to look after you so she can make sure you'll arrive to your appointments on time. That is, if you're not senile enough to be sent to an asylum instead"

The council laughed at Ozai's cruel comment, but so did Iroh. Azula merely scowled. Her uncle really had no shame whatsoever… where was his pride? Where was his honor? Where was the man he was supposed to be? All three of them had been lost long ago, apparently.

"I believe I still have a grasp on my senses, Ozai" Iroh said, chuckling "We don't need to be concerned about my mental health just yet. Give it a few more years"

"We'll see about that…" muttered Ozai, turning to Qin again "Resume what you were saying, War Minister"

"Right away, My Lord" said Qin, bowing his head at Ozai "There are small rebellions in the Fire Nation Colonies, but nothing our forces can't handle. The major cities in the land are perfectly safe as of now, the last earthbending vermin who tried to lead an insurrection in Ba Sing Se was given the punishment he deserved, and all his allies were captured as well"

"Very good" said Ozai, nodding "How is the recruiting for the army coming along?"

"Oh, it goes along really well, My Lord" said Qin "We've had a hundred newcomers in a single month"

Ozai nodded. The war was close to ending to their favor, but the Fire Nation's army was spread too thin throughout the world. New recruits were most welcome. They would be quite useful to keep the people of the former Earth Kingdom at bay.

"What news do we have regarding the North Pole?" asked Ozai, turning his attention away from Qin.

"My Lord…" said another man, Commander Gei, standing up and bowing towards the Fire Lord as Qin took his seat again "The northern siege… isn't proceeding as well as we wish. The dark period has begun and we struggle to win. Their waterbenders are becoming more powerful on every opportunity. Admiral Zhao has decided to take a defensive approach to the siege until the light period begins anew"

Ozai rubbed his forehead with his fingers. His frown was deep as he analyzed the information he had been provided.

"It's been four years" he growled "Four years since we began attacking the Northern Water Tribe. Most our navy was sent there so that Zhao could seize control of that wretched pole as soon as possible. He told me he had a plan. Why hasn't he put it into action?"

"I'm sorry, My Lord" said Gei, grimacing "It would seem their forces are far stronger and in better synch than we anticipated. They've even captured some of our vessels, and there's little we can do to retaliate right now…"

"This is shameful. I expected better from Zhao" grunted Ozai "When will this period end?"

"In a few months' time" said Gei "But I'm afraid the circumstances are against us in a war against the Water Tribe"

"So it would seem" said Ozai "What are we to do, if that's the case? Await until Sozin's Comet returns? The Northern Water Tribe is our greatest threat. We need to annihilate them or risk losing everything we have obtained in this war!"

"It's a more complicated gamble than you think, Ozai" said Iroh, staring at Gei with keen eyes "Some wars might have been best not fought at all"

"Such is the wisdom the Deserter of The Siege of Ba Sing Se provides us with" Azula declared, surprising most the council with her unexpected intervention "You had no problem with letting a siege of over five hundred days go to waste. But if you had taken over Ba Sing Se when you had the opportunity to do so, we could have used the power of the comet to melt those useless poles until there was no trace left of them but the scorched corpses of those savages floating in the ocean. Is it really that some wars are best not fought, or is it you are unwilling to acknowledge that we might not be facing this predicament in the first place if it weren't for your incompetence?"

Azula's harshness shocked most people, even Ozai. Her enmity towards Iroh was well known to any noble who had ever seen them interact, but hardly ever did she display it so bluntly. Ozai eyed his daughter, realizing she looked far more serious than she usually did. Attacking Iroh like that had been startling… although he couldn't help but think she had been completely right about everything she had said.

"Discussing what could have happened if our lives had developed differently isn't what we've come here for, is it?" asked Iroh "You may question my decisions later, but doing so now will lead us to no useful conclusion regarding the matters we came to discuss"

"Perhaps" said Ozai "She is right on some account, though. Nevertheless, if her intervention wasn't helping our cause, neither was yours. I will not hear of surrendering. This war is ours. We'll win it, no matter what's at stake"

Iroh's expression grew darker upon those phrases as he eyed his brother. Azula glared at her uncle from across the room, folding her arms firmly across her chest.

"There's little that can be done by firebenders during the dark period, father" she muttered, shifting her attention towards the Fire Lord "I learned that on my short visit to the South Pole. Our main forces are comprised of firebenders, and the light period would have to begin anew for us to have an advantage over the savages"

"And it still wouldn't be a great advantage" Gei added "Even if the sun comes out, the weather is too cold. We have lost men to frostbite and other diseases caused by the unfavorable conditions…"

"It's remarkable that those incompetent ice savages have figured how to survive in that pathetic frozen wasteland of theirs" said Ozai, shaking his head "Very well. If that's the case, we'll have to continuously renovate our forces to avoid losing power. We will exchange the firebenders who were stationed there for those who have been in the Fire Nation Colonies or those on the mainland. It could help us regain some of the edge we've lost"

"But many of those warriors are already used to fighting in the North Pole… trading them for those who have no experience in the poles might not work to our favor as you hope it might, my Lord" muttered General Bujing.

"Do you have any better ideas, General Bujing?" asked Ozai.

"N-no, my Lord" the man admitted, looking somewhat surprised at being shut down so suddenly.

"Then this is what shall be done. If the soldiers that are in the North Pole right now grew accustomed to the cold, so shall the next ones to come. Begin trading soldiers right away, Commander Gei. I want the entire fleet at north to be renewed by the time we reach the light period once more"

"Does that include Admiral Zhao?" asked the Commander, surprised.

"Zhao could use a break" said Iroh "He has been up north for far too long"

"For once, we agree on something, brother" said Ozai.

Azula cringed at those words. Zhao, returning? Not too soon, surely… but she didn't like the sound of that, not at all. Four years away from the man she had come to despise hadn't been enough for her contempt towards him to cool down. She didn't want to be around him ever again. She hoped secretly that a waterbender would freeze him alive before he could return, sparing the world from that man's existence…

"But, knowing Zhao, he most likely will want to see this siege to the end" said Ozai "He shall be granted the freedom to decide whether he shall remain in the pole or not"

"Understood" said Gei, nodding.

"If he decides to leave…" said Ozai, turning towards the oldest general in the room "You shall be the one to take his place, Bujing. Your experience as a military leader ought to serve to our advantage in the North Pole"

"Of course, my Lord" said Bujing, bowing down to him. He didn't want to go to the North Pole, but if Ozai commanded it, he wouldn't oppose him. Ever since Ozai had discovered Azula had been the one to save him and the others from the savages down in the South Pole he had taken a very cold approach towards the entire group. Of course, the one who had earned the worst punishment had been Chan, who had been stripped off his every title and was stuck in the position of private once again. From what Bujing knew, he had forced his son to enter the military as well, seeing how they weren't in the highest social class anymore and the boy could no longer freeload off his parents as he always had.

"Are there any other matters to discuss?" asked Ozai, raising an eyebrow.

"My Lord…" spoke General Shinu, looking at Ozai doubtfully "There's something I would like to bring up to the council"

"Pray tell, what might that be?" asked Ozai, curious. The director of the Yu-Yan archers hardly ever brought up any topics in these meetings.

"There was a ruckus at Yu Dao recently" he muttered "As you know, Yu Dao is close to the Pohuai Stronghold, so rumors of what happened reached me…"

"Yu Dao?" repeated Ozai "War Minister Qin, didn't you say there had been no rebellions in the larger cities?"

"I-I've had no reports of rebellions in Yu Dao, my Lord!" said Qin, blurting out his response quickly to avoid getting scolded.

"It wasn't a rebellion… at least, not one led by bitter earthbenders" said Shinu "It was led by people of the Fire Nation"

The eyes of everyone in the room widened as they looked at Shinu in utter shock.

"What?" asked Ozai, frowning "A group of Fire Nation outlaws?"

"And it's not any group of Fire Nation outlaws…" Shinu continued "It's the Rough Rhinos, my Lord"

The room was filled with chatter after those words were spoken. Azula frowned as she thought of the little she knew regarding the group. They were considered a freelance team of Fire Nation elite soldiers who roamed the Earth Kingdom and took over any villages and towns they came across. Not all their attempts were successful, but most of them had worked to the Fire Nation's favor. Yet, when the Fire Nation had taken over Ba Sing Se and assessed control of the entire Earth Kingdom, Fire Lord Ozai had decided to assimilate the Earth Kingdom instead of destroying it. The attacks on the villages had been stopped to provide the Fire Nation Honorary Citizens with the safety they had been promised when they had sworn fealty to the Fire Lord. By changing their approach on the war, Fire Lord Ozai had forced freelance groups to join the main bodies of the army to disband rebellions or to head towards the North Pole… but the Rough Rhinos had decided to ignore his command. The council had been aware that the group was traveling through the continent, but the group had never gone against the Fire Nation's new directions so openly. It was the first time such behavior reached their ears.

"Mongke and his friends…?" muttered Iroh "What have they done in Yu Dao?"

"From what I heard, they sacked some shops and attacked a group of Honorary Fire Nation citizens, claiming they were Earth Kingdom scum" said Shinu "They pillaged a section of the city before the soldiers came to restrain them. They fled, and nobody knows where they are anymore"

"They attacked Honorary Fire Nation citizens?!" General Ling shouted, shocked "What has gotten into them?!"

"That sort of behavior is reckless and harmful to our nation" muttered Bujing "If they attack another city in this same manner, our credibility will be doubted by the former Earth Kingdom citizens. We promised to protect them all the same as if they had been born Fire Nation…"

"They are likely to strike again" said Shinu "I investigated a little, and this isn't the first time they have attacked after the Fire Lord ordered them to return to the army. They had tormented some minor towns and villages before. This is the first time they attack a city like Yu Dao"

Ozai frowned, shaking his head in disapproval.

"This is no good for us…" he muttered

"Why would they do this?" asked Ling again, angry "They may be a freelance group, but they are bound by their honor to obey our Fire Lord!"

"They do it because they have war fever" said Iroh.

"War fever?" asked Ling, surprised.

"It's a way to call it" said Iroh, smiling "Men who kill for a living can't let go of the exhilarant sensations of war so easily. Letting go of their experiences to return to a life of boredom isn't an idea they can fathom. Even if it means to go against their beliefs, they'll do whatever they can to keep the vicious joy they obtain through looting villages and murdering their enemies, no matter if they aren't enemies anymore"

"This is no good" said Bujing "They must be stopped at once!"

"Bujing, put together an emergency team and send them to track them down and stop these…" started Ozai, but his brother interrupted him.

"The Rough Rhinos are too strong for an emergency team to handle"

"Then what do you propose, General Iroh?" asked Bujing "Would you rather go stop them yourself?"

"Oh, me?" asked Iroh, surprised.

"You know Mongke well enough" said Ozai, thoughtful "By taking a good group of soldiers to back you up, you might be able to stop them"

"I rather doubt it, Ozai" said Iroh, chuckling "I'm too old to chase after criminals"

"But you're a fearless and prodigious leader!" said Ling "You're a top-rate firebender too! You can devise a strategy to take down the Rhinos, I'm sure…"

"If that's what you think will stop the Rhinos…" said Iroh "I think there's a better option than me. A top-rate firebender, a fearless and prodigious leader, who can devise a strategy to take down the Rhinos…"

"Who are you suggesting?" asked Ling, puzzled.

"Why, my niece, of course" said Iroh, beaming.

Azula's eyes snapped wide open. She turned towards Iroh, not understanding why he would propose her for a mission of this magnitude…

"The Princess?!" said Ling, shocked too.

"I'm afraid the Princess shouldn't be a choice here…" said War Minister Qin.

"Well… she is perfectly capable of defeating the Rhinos" said Bujing "But I agree. It would be best to find someone else"

"Why?" asked Iroh, confused "She has every trait you believe necessary to take down the Rhinos, and she will likely catch them without breaking a sweat. Just give her a proper soldier squad and she'll bring the Rough Rhinos to justice in no time"

Why was he complimenting her? Why was Iroh giving her a chance to prove herself? Azula couldn't understand it. This was absurd in every level. He was right, she could pull through this mission successfully… but for him to propose she should be given said opportunity was completely preposterous.

Ozai frowned and turned towards his daughter.

"You know I don't doubt your aptitude to take care of a mission like this… although it would be the first time you'd be entrusted with such a task. It's a good opportunity for you, my daughter… I believe a good leader needs to be the one to lead his men into battle, even if only against useless traitors. Yet the decision is all yours, Azula. Do you wish to take upon this mission?"

Azula blinked repeatedly, not sure of what answer to give her father. To refuse… why would she refuse? Because she distrusted her uncle? She couldn't blurt that out blatantly in front of the council. It wasn't because she had better things to do either… this was truly a rare opportunity to prove her worth to her father and all the men in this room. She could tell that they feared that giving a woman such an important mission would be no good, they believed she would be unsuccessful. To prove them wrong, to capture the Rough Rhinos and make them cower in fear before her… it was the perfect answer to most of her life's wishes. But Iroh had been the one to suggest it… Iroh…

"I will need some time to think about it" said Azula, frowning "It's a complicated mission to plan out. It would take me some time to devise what to do to capture a group of the Rough Rhinos' quality…"

"Indeed" said Ozai "Therefore I advise you to decide whether you shall do it or not soon. We have no time to waste. If the Rhinos continue attacking the colonies, we might find ourselves dealing with a larger insurrection than any we've seen so far. You have three days to make your choice"

"I understand" said Azula, nodding. She was surprised her father had been so flexible to her request for more time to ponder her options.

The meeting continued, although Azula could tell it would end soon. Still, her mind was completely out of it by now. She had nothing to lose by going after the Rhinos, but why did Iroh do this? There had to be an ulterior motive, there had to be… he had been trying to pester her by joining the Gladiator business, so how come was he trying to help her now…?

Her brow contracted at those thoughts. Of course, that's what it was. Why hadn't she noticed it before? Her uncle had realized the Blue Wolf had pulled ahead of the Blind Bandit. By sending Azula away on a goose chase, he would have enough time to get his earthbender to surpass Azula's gladiator once more. The nerve of that man, trying to fool her into something like this…

… But then again, that was no reason to refuse to go after the Rough Rhinos. Not only was that excuse something Ozai would consider unacceptable, seeing how the Gladiator business was nigh irrelevant to him, but Azula herself didn't think it was that important anymore. Not after what she'd been through because of Sokka. She had been feeling tempted to drop out of the Gladiator business altogether, and seeing how she would likely have to devote her every second to chase the Rhinos, there was little chance for her to schedule any new fights for Sokka.

And that was actually a relief. Now she had the perfect reason to drop Sokka and forget about him completely. The sickening situation between them had gone too far, and just thinking about it made her insides contort painfully. She didn't want to feel this way anymore. And the best way to accomplish that would be to get Sokka out of her life for once and for all.

The Captain of Azula's Royal Guard used to perform vigilance rounds through the Palace whenever he didn't have more urgent matters to tend to. And he had nothing else to tend to right now. The Princess had three days to convey to her father her decision regarding the hunt of the Rough Rhinos, and apparently she'd spend them by gathering as much information about them as possible, to see if she would be able to catch them or not. And she had established that she didn't want him around as she pondered her choices.

He happened to spot a carriage that was stopping on the Palace gates when he was passing by the location. He had been about to ask the guards if everything had gone smoothly today, but instead he focused on staring at the old-fashioned carriage that had stopped before the main gates. It was one of the self-employed carriages people could hire to drive them from one place to the next instead of the personal carriages most noblemen had. That was enough to tell the Captain that whoever had come by the Palace didn't belong to the Fire Nation's high class…

The driver had been standing by the door, taking the money his passengers were paying him with. He smiled and sat on the front of the carriage once again, taking the reins in his hands and ushering the Mongoose Dragons to lead the way as soon as the two passengers had climbed off the cabin…

The Captain forgot all about the carriage when he identified the two arrivals. Seeing Song once more wouldn't bother him… but spotting the man she was assisting certainly did.

Seeing how badly wounded he was actually elicited a small sense of satisfaction in the Captain. It seemed to be divine punishment for distressing the Princess as much as he had. But why was he here? Why wouldn't he stay home to heal those nasty wounds and to stay as far from Azula as possible?

The guards let the pair of slaves pass them by when they recognized Sokka as Azula's gladiator, although that didn't stop them from staring at them with distrust. The Captain made his way amongst them as Song helped Sokka walk. He limped slightly, his legs only starting to regain their strength.

"What have you come here for, gladiator?" the Captain spoke harshly, his glare fixed upon Sokka alone.

"Captain…" said Song, gulping as both her and Sokka came to a halt. She could sense he was more than willing to set Sokka on fire, his bodily language said as much "G-good day to you. Sokka has something he needs to talk to the Princess about…"

"And why should I let him?" asked the Captain, folding his arms over his chest "I'm sorry to be so blunt, Song, but I'm not going to let this man through just because you ask me to"

Song would have been surprised to see he remembered her name, but his words were so unexpected she put that matter aside for now.

"Y-you don't understand, Captain…" she started, but Sokka shook his head, asking her to let him speak. His arm was draped over her shoulders as she held him up by the waist, trying to support him so the weight on his legs wouldn't be too much for him to handle.

"Captain…" he sighed, staring straight into the mask "I understand your displeasure. In fact, I share it. I shouldn't be here, and I know it"

"Then why did you bother coming?" asked the Captain.

"Because I've been a fool all this time" he said "And I want Azula to know how much I regret everything I did. She may not want to see me ever again, but she should know I'm sorry. She should know I've realized I was wrong, and she was right. Everything I've put her through these days… it's all on me. She didn't do anything wrong. And I know there's likely no chance she'll let me try to make up for what I've done… but maybe it'll help to put her at ease if she knows how sorry I am"

The Captain frowned deeply as he studied Sokka. His blue eyes gleamed with sincerity. Was it a good idea to let him see Azula? Likely not. The last time he had left them to themselves, things had gone from bad to worse. But Sokka had come here, bearing all those injuries in hopes to do the right thing for once. Maybe he could get another chance…

"Alright" he grunted, and Sokka smiled to hear his positive reply "But you're not going to see her alone. I'm going to be there too, and you're going to keep the proper distance with her! And if you dare say anything to displease her, I'll make you wish the Savage Hook had killed you when he had the chance"

Sokka gulped at the threats, knowing the Captain was serious. The extent to his devotion towards Azula was impressive. Even Song was frightened at the way he had delivered his last sentence.

"Got it?" asked the Captain, coming closer to Sokka and glaring at him fiercely. For the first time, Sokka managed to catch a glimpse of his golden eyes through his mask.

Sokka nodded solemnly, staring at the Captain with determination. This time he wouldn't mess things up. Anything Azula said, he would accept. He was completely willing to take the blame for everything he'd done. There was nobody else to blame anyway.

The Captain took Sokka's arm on his shoulder, telling Song to leave carrying Sokka to him. The Captain was quite harsh as he dragged Sokka through the Palace, making him wince in pain more than once, but Sokka kept himself from faltering or complaining out loud.

The Captain loosened his grip around Sokka when they reached one of the Palace's open hallways. A figure with long, dark hair, was sitting before the wooden fence. She had discarded her armor, and she was dressed now only in the robes she used to wear underneath it. It seemed as though she were meditating regarding something. Sokka couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind…

"Princess…" said the Captain, approaching her almost unwillingly. Disturbing her was the last thing he wanted to do, and doing it just to have her talk to that moron only made him feel worse about himself "There's someone here to see you"

The Captain's elusive way to refer to her visitor was enough for Azula to guess his identity right away. She heard someone stumble behind her, as if limping… Her hands balled into fists instantly. The Captain glared at Sokka to tell him to stay several feet away from her. The Water Tribe man understood the message and halted, staring at Azula's shape from where he was.

"Leave, Captain" Azula commanded suddenly, surprising the other three people in the hallway greatly "This is a matter I can settle on my own. Leave. And take the other slave with you"

Song was impressed. How had she noticed she was there if she hadn't even turned around? That Princess's intuition was astounding…

The Captain nodded and bowed to her, acknowledging her order although he truly didn't wish to do it. Azula listened keenly until the footsteps of both the Captain and Song had faded away, and she heard how Sokka cringed as he sat on the floor, unable to stay on his feet for much longer.

Sokka stared at her back, dread filling him. This had only been a waste of time, hadn't it? There was nothing to be done… he was pleased that Azula had sent the Captain away, though. It would have been awkward to apologize about everything he'd done with him and Song listening. Surely Azula thought so, too.

"H-hey…" he whispered, staring at her intently, wondering if she'd react at the sound of his voice.

She didn't. Her back was still straight, her gaze still focused in the gardens, her hands still fisted over her crossed knees… she remained completely impassive to him. Well… that might make things easier.

"Azula…" he muttered, wondering if he was still allowed to call her by her name "I came here because… well, I think you know already…"

Azula's eyes narrowed. Was he going to play the game like this? Had he come here in hopes she would just guess whatever was going on in that lousy mind of his?

"In any case…" he continued "Things have been really messed up these past few days. And… it's my fault. Everything's my fault"

Azula frowned now. Was he really acknowledging he was to blame? It had to be the first time she heard a man admitting his guilt openly like this…

"What I did on the Arena with Kyoshi's Heir…" he whispered "It's what messed everything up in the first place, and it was no use either way. It was my first mistake, but not my last"

Hearing the gladiator's name brought forth a burning anger Azula wasn't too comfortable with, but she managed to hold her fury at bay and listen to anything else he would say.

"I should have known my place in the world" he whispered "I shouldn't have acted the way I did that day, at any point in time. I was a fool… worse than a fool. I was despicable. I look back at everything I did and I wish I could go back in time to change everything…"

_But you can't _Azula thought, gritting her teeth.

"But I can't" said Sokka "And I'll live with the consequences of my mistakes. And about… about what I said to you… I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I can't even start to say how badly I regret it. I shouldn't have come here that night. I should have never said any of that… I was drunk and stupid, and I wasn't thinking straight. I know saying that is no way to excuse my behavior… but there's nothing I regret more than that, even if you choose not to believe me. Well, maybe not. I…. I regret having made you cry. That's what I… what I will never forgive myself for. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Azula shook her head, a hand on her forehead.

"Coming here and saying all of this changes nothing, Sokka" she managed to say, her voice steadier than she expected it to be "Saying you're sorry… Who do you think you're dealing with?"

"I know… I know" said Sokka, sighing and tilting his head "I understand you can't forgive me. I can't forgive myself either… not for that day, or for how stupid I acted before going against the Savage Hook. I understand it… and I get that you wouldn't want me around anymore"

Azula was surprised at those last words. Was it time to say farewell to him now? She hadn't expected it to happen so suddenly… but for him to make their parting of ways so simple was quite a relief.

"I'm not worthy of being near you" Sokka admitted "I… I hurt you. No man should ever do that to a girl like you. You deserve much better than that. You can find another gladiator, a stronger, smarter one, who won't ever let you down. I'm a failure, so… your odds to get to the top of the ranking would be better if you found someone else. I'm really thankful for everything you gave me, that I can assure you of. It was more than… than a snow savage like me could have deserved. I'm sorry for everything, Azula… and I hope you make it to the top of the ranking soon, with a better fighter than me"

Azula sighed, shaking her head again.

"I don't think I'll be sponsoring anyone else anyway" she muttered, surprising Sokka.

"What… what do you mean?" he asked, curious.

"My father has in mind to send me on a very important mission to the former Earth Kingdom" said Azula.

"What?" said Sokka, shocked "W-why you? You're his heir! Shouldn't he want to keep you safe?"

"It wasn't his idea" Azula muttered "My uncle said I'd be the perfect person for the job. And he's probably right. I don't know how long it'll take me to finish the mission, so I can't sponsor a gladiator as I travel through the former Earth Kingdom"

"Oh…" said Sokka, grimacing. So her attempts to become the top sponsor had been thwarted… that was also saddening. He wished she could have accomplished her goal, even if she could only do so with another fighter. But something about what she just said hadn't seemed quite right "W-wait a second… your uncle? Iroh?"

"How many uncles do you think I have?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes.

"He was the one to suggest you'd do it?" Sokka mused, frowning.

"Did the Hook chop off your ears?" snarled Azula "Or did he beat you up so badly your brain has been damaged?"

"N-no, none of that…" said Sokka, gulping. Clearly, his apologies hadn't been much use. He hadn't expected them to be "But… if it's him, he's only doing it to surpass you. After beating the Hook I wound up above Toph, so he sent you to do this to get rid of the competition!"

"You think I don't know that?" asked Azula, rolling her eyes again "Yes, I know why he's doing it. But I honestly find no further value in Gladiator fights anymore. They're no use, and they'll get me nowhere. This mission is far more important than a pathetic ranking. And besides, you're obviously not fit to fight again after sustaining those injuries. So, all in all, giving up on this is the one thing I can do at this point"

Sokka frowned. No… she couldn't give up. Azula wasn't a quitter. She was the kind of person who would do anything to accomplish her goals. For her to give up and let her uncle win… it was wrong. It was completely wrong. There was no way she wanted to let the guy get to her. There had to be a solution.

"You really want to give up?" asked Sokka "I know I've done bad things… really bad things. And if you don't want to deal with me anymore, I get it. But to let your uncle win…"

"Of course it bothers me" Azula grunted "Why do you think I had to ask my father to give me time to think about it?"

"Uh… I didn't know you were given time to think…" he mumbled in a small voice.

"Huh?"

"N-nothing, nothing" said Sokka, gulping "But… hey. Maybe something can be done. Maybe he doesn't have to win"

"Pray tell, what grandiose idea has come to your feeble mind?" asked Azula, thoroughly irritated.

"W-well… I was thinking" Sokka muttered, her sarcasm hitting him as daggers "There are Arenas over at the Earth Kingdom too, aren't there? I think Shoji said the Hook came from Ba Sing Se…"

"Yes, there are" Azula replied "So?"

"Well… I'm not sure what your mission is, exactly" said Sokka "But for the Princess to travel all of sudden to the Earth Kingdom for no apparent reason would seem weird"

Azula frowned. He was right. The Rough Rhinos might hear she was tracking them down even before she got to the Earth Kingdom if word of her mission got out. And if they heard about it, they would likely hide away until the danger had passed. They had spent a long time in the Earth Kingdom, they were perfectly familiar with those territories… as opposed to her. If they heard of what she was trying to accomplish, it would become nigh impossible for her to catch them.

"But it doesn't have to seem like you've done it for no reason" said Sokka, smiling a little "I'm just guessing here… but proud sponsors who have a lot of money are bound to go tour around the Arenas of the world to show off their gladiators. If you make it look like that's what you're doing, people won't suspect you're trying to accomplish any complicated missions… that is, if it's a complicated, secret mission. If it's something the general public already knows about, you can forget what I just said…"

Azula's hands came together, her fingers intertwined as she pondered her options once more. If she went with this, she wouldn't lose to her uncle. She could catch the Rhinos while still involved in the gladiator business, just as Sokka had suggested. With that, she would outdo her uncle in every way… for her to manage to do both things would baffle him. It was a very appealing suggestion…

But she wanted to sign out of the Gladiator business.

Her enthusiasm faded upon that thought. Sokka was still Sokka, he was still the man who had hurt her so badly that words couldn't describe how pained he had made her feel. He was the man who had betrayed her trust, who had made her feel horribly about herself, who had twisted her world around even though he was only a pathetic slave. She didn't want him nearby…

But he was nearby right now. And she was alright. Sure, she hadn't even turned around to face him, but he hadn't hurt her any further right now. Probably because she hadn't given him the chance to do so. And she wouldn't give him that chance, never again.

If she could bear being near him if only for moments like these, then she probably could use him as a smokescreen as she chased the Rough Rhinos. It was actually a really good idea, way too good for it to have come from a useless man like Sokka.

"It… it seems to be a good option" Azula admitted "It could work to my favor"

Sokka's eyes lit upon hearing that. The weight he had felt in his chest suddenly faded away as he smiled in grateful disbelief. He had helped her somehow. He had given her a good idea! And he wouldn't be torn away from her side just yet… so maybe he could find a way to make amends after all.

"I'm glad" said Sokka, smiling "I'm glad I helped you somehow…"

"Indeed" grunted Azula, standing up "It was about time something useful came from that foul mouth of yours"

Sokka gazed up at her when she turned around. Their eyes met, but not in the way he would have wanted them to. His newly found enthusiasm faded into oblivion when he looked into her amber stare, discovering how badly hurt she still was. The icy glare she provided him with was daunting, but it also proved his fears a reality: he had broken something within her. And it wasn't something he could fix just by saying he was sorry.

Azula eyed Sokka mostly to assess the damage on him, wondering when it would be safe for him to fight once again. His head was covered in bandages, and so were his legs and right arm. It would still take some time for him to recover… time she would use to plan everything through. Adding the gladiator combats into the mix would serve to make everything far more complicated than it should be… but, in a way, it would also help her to figure out what her approach to her mission would be.

"You're a mess" she said, her voice colder now that she was looking directly at him "You're not to do anything but recover from your wounds for these next days. The minute I'm ready to set out to find the Rough Rhinos, you'll be coming along too, no matter if you've gotten better or not. My main priority is to finish my mission, so I won't give a damn if you get yourself killed in an Arena. I'll have no qualms with leaving your corpse behind so that sea vultures can feast on your remains. They'll likely wind up getting food poisoned if they do, but I care as little for their fate as I care about yours"

Sokka grimaced but nodded, not having expected anything kinder from her.

"You're getting a second chance… as a matter of fact, a third chance, to remain as my gladiator" said Azula "You let it go to waste this time, and I assure you I will take it upon myself to finish you off forever"

Sokka tried not to shiver at those words. He wanted to hold her gaze with his for as long as possible, without faltering… but it was becoming increasingly difficult with every passing moment. The hatred she felt for him knew no ends, and he had been the one to ask for it…

"Do we have an understanding?" Azula asked, the flames of gold in her eyes the coldest thing Sokka had ever dealt with.

"Y-yes… Princess" he said, bowing his head towards her as he submitted himself to her will completely.

"If that's the case, get out of here already" she declared, turning around again towards the gardens "You're an eyesore"

Sokka winced at her cruelty but obeyed her nonetheless. He had a hard time standing up again, and he limped his way down the hall, looking for Song and the Captain. He found them a few halls away, apparently too uncomfortable by the situation to talk much. Song ran towards Sokka and let him support his weight on her shoulders again, and the Captain glared at the gladiator from his mask.

"So?" he asked "Did you do anything stupid this time around?"

"I tried not to…" said Sokka, smiling sideways "I tried to help her out… gave her a little idea to solve her predicament"

The Captain's eyes flew open. He had given her an idea? He had been able to help Azula sort out her current troubles? The Captain had been unable to aid her… and the gladiator had been of some use?

"She'll probably explain everything to you later" said Sokka.

"And… are you two getting along again?" asked the Captain, suspicious.

Sokka's eyes fell as he shook his head.

"I don't think so… it's not… it's not that simple" he muttered "She can't forgive me just because I said I was sorry. I never expected her to"

"I didn't think she would either" said the Captain, sighing "Whatever you did, you'll spend the rest of your life paying for it"

"I know" said Sokka, nodding "And even that might not be enough. But I'm going to do it anyway"

The Captain was surprised to see how determined the slave was. Even after facing Azula he seemed completely devoted to making things up to her… he hadn't wavered after meeting her, it only seemed to have enhanced his drive to fix what he had broken. His eyes still blazed fiercely, his mind set on making sure Azula would be able to smile again someday.

The Princess, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about smiling again. She stood before the garden, her nails grazing the wooden fence. She didn't quite understand it, but her heart hadn't lost itself in Sokka this time around. Maybe it was because he hadn't been behaving as stupidly as always. But she didn't feel more enraged towards him after this last meeting, she didn't feel sad… she didn't feel anything anymore. And that was the way it should have always been. Caring for the man had never been a part of the plan, and it definitely wouldn't be one in her new plan either. Sokka had provided her with a very clever solution, but that didn't mean anything would change. He wasn't important anymore. The one thing on her mind right now was catching the Rough Rhinos, defeating her uncle in their battle of wits and making her father proud when he saw what his daughter was truly capable of.

**A/N:**

**Hey there, everyone ^^ here it is, the beginning of a new story arc! Yes, some of you expected things to work out differently… but sorting our set of problems out will take quite a while! So buckle up and get ready for the ride! ^^**

**I'm making this author note because of a little something I decided to do since Gladiator has breached through the 500 reviews mark! I'm very thankful to all of you, my readers! And I figured I would celebrate this achievement by doing a special event over at my tumblr! You can find the link to my account in my profile ^^ For twenty-four hours you can ask me anything you wish to know about Gladiator, and for once, I'll give you solid answers! I'll be accepting anonymous questions too (so long as they're Gladiator-oriented questions), so you don't need a tumblr account to take part in this event ^^ just go to the link that says "Ask away!" and I'll answer anything you send my way! It's a twenty-four hour deal, though, so if you want to ask anything, make sure to send the question quickly!**

**But most of all, I want to thank every single person who has reviewed, followed or marked this story as a favorite. Your support fuels my writing! Thank you very much! See you on the next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 32

Betting on his favorite gladiator had been a better idea than Zuko had thought it would be. It wasn't that he needed the money… but supporting the right fighter filled him with a thrill of excitement he had never known before.

Yes, he still found the gladiator business to be disgusting in essence… but that one girl had driven him to think that you could find beauty even in the most horrid features of the world. And she wasn't just beautiful… she was strong, she was honorable, she was admirable in every single way. He sighed as he thought of how she had trampled over her opponent with ease today, never losing the composure and elegance that set her apart from all the other gladiators.

After witnessing the fight between her and the Blue Wolf, Zuko had asked the boy on the counter to tell him what Kyoshi's Heir's combat schedule was. The kid had been surprised, since Zuko had showed up out of nowhere and requested the information a little more forcefully than he had intended to, but he had complied as soon as he had realized the man under the hood was none other than Prince Zuko. And so, Zuko had come to frequent the Grand Royal Dome whenever Kyoshi's Heir was due to fight.

He would always sneak out of the Palace to attend the matches, concealing his features under his hood to avoid getting recognized by the townsfolk. He sat as far as he could from Kyoshi's Heir's crazed supporters, still finding their behavior to be ridiculous. He rooted for her as well, yet he didn't go all the way to make a fool of himself to show it…

But his distaste towards her other supporters couldn't distract him whenever Kyoshi's Heir entered the sand pit. His eyes would never leave her, watching how she delivered every blow with skill and grace… she was something to behold. He had taken the plunge to bet on her for the first time today, and he had gone home with twice the money he had brought with him. Betting on her had made him feel quite fulfilled, but it wasn't because of the money: betting on her was the sole way in which he could show his earnest support for Kyoshi's Heir.

The gladiator vanished from his thoughts temporarily as he snuck into the Palace again, sliding in through a hidden door in the western end of the walls that surrounded his home. A guard spotted him, but he already knew it was Zuko. He had seen him sneak out earlier, and even though he should have stopped him from leaving the Palace in such a getup, he decided to let him go. The Prince's endeavors were of little concern to the guards anymore, seeing how the Fire Lord didn't care for what his son did. It provided Zuko with a lot more freedom than his sister could enjoy, seeing how she was followed by her Royal Procession at all times, but it made the Prince wonder if there was no place for him in the Royal Palace anymore.

He was planning on heading towards his chambers right away, perhaps dropping by to greet his uncle on the way, but he stopped on his tracks when he caught sight of an unusual clatter in the Royal Guards' barracks. A group of men clad in red ran up and down their building busily, some of them shouting orders while others carried objects from one place to another. Zuko raised an eyebrow and approached them, spotting a carriage that was being loaded with what could be nothing other than provisions for a trip of some sort.

"What's going on here?" asked Zuko, approaching the man who seemed to be supervising the operation.

The guard turned around and Zuko caught sight of the golden rims on his uniform. Azula's captain…

"Prince Zuko? What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.

"Isn't that what I just asked you?" Zuko retorted, unwilling to explain his circumstances.

"Right…" muttered the Captain, frowning slightly. Azula was downright cold towards him most the time… but there was something about her older brother that drove the Captain to cringe in uneasiness whenever he interacted with him. It might be that Azula didn't strive to prove her superiority with her every action, because her authority was already implicit. Zuko's behavior was the entire opposite of that. If only on a subconscious level, he seemed to believe other people needed a reminder that he was the Fire Lord's son. Instead of acting aloof towards the servants and guards, in the way his sister did, his attitude would often come across as disrespectful "We're getting assembled for a journey. The Royal Procession will guard the Princess as she travels through the Fire Nation Colonies"

Zuko's eyes widened.

"Azula… traveling through the Former Earth Kingdom? Why?"

The Captain froze at his question. Azula wanted her mission to develop in utmost secrecy… was it wise to tell her brother about the true nature of her journey? The relationship between the siblings was rocky, to say the least… Azula probably wouldn't want him to know what she was up to. And if she did… then she probably should tell him herself.

"The Princess will be touring the Arenas of the Fire Nation Colonies with her gladiator" said the Captain, turning towards the carriage once again "Preparations must be done at once to make sure the journey will proceed smoothly"

"Huh…" said Zuko, frowning at the thought of Azula's gladiator. He still couldn't forgive the way he had defeated Kyoshi's Heir and extorted a date out of her… "Why is she doing this?"

"I haven't been briefed about her reasons" said the Captain "Nor do I need to be"

Zuko's brow contracted, displeased by the man. It was obvious he knew more than he was telling… but he would say nothing more because Azula had probably told him not to share any details about their trip with him.

"Right" grunted Zuko, walking away without another word. His gut began twisting when he wondered if his sister might be trying to find the Avatar herself… well, he knew the Avatar wasn't in the Earth Kingdom. He had searched the continent high and low during his own travels, and there had been no trace of the Avatar being anywhere in the Earth Kingdom… in fact, there was no trace of the Avatar at all. If her true goal was to find him and succeed where he had failed, she would come back empty-handed.

But that wasn't Azula's goal. Unbeknownst to her brother, Azula was entering her father's chambers on that very moment, her chin held high, her eyes fierce, her soul unyielding.

She found Ozai scanning a very long scroll, sitting before a small table in his private living room. An Imperial Guard announced her presence, making Ozai lift his gaze from his reading material to regard his daughter.

"Azula" he said, as she bowed down towards him "Have you finally come to a decision?"

"Yes, father" Azula replied, taking her seat across him "I will undertake this mission"

Ozai's eyes gleamed with pride as a smirk spread over his features. His daughter didn't smile back.

"I'm pleased. A mission of this magnitude would require a strong leader like yourself, Azula"

"Indeed" said Azula "There isn't enough information regarding the Rough Rhinos' movements. It will take some time for me to find them"

"Take as much as you need, so long as you bring them back with you" said Ozai "They have made themselves enemies of the Fire Nation. We will give them the same treatment any other rebel would earn"

"I understand" said Azula "It shall be done, father. I will be departing in two weeks…"

"Two weeks?" Ozai repeated, frowning "It might be risky to let so much time pass you by, Azula…"

"I have no other choice" Azula stated "It's taken me some time to decide how to chase them. Seeing how they solely travel through land, I'm not likely to find them if I take this voyage only on my barge. I have sent word to the Mechanist in the northern mountains. I have heard about the train-tank he has developed, and I will require it to travel efficiently through the Colonies' territories"

"Are you certain of this?" asked Ozai, raising an eyebrow.

"I won't be entering the towns or cities in the train-tank, if that's what you're concerned about" Azula replied "The Royal Procession will escort me in, as it should be. The train-tank will carry me from one destination to the next"

"Yet a train-tank… It might give away what you're trying to accomplish, Azula" said Ozai "I thought you would realize utter secrecy and discretion will be needed for you to find the Rough Rhinos"

"I'm well aware of that" said Azula "It's why I decided I'll be arriving to the Colonies to give the impression I've traveled only to gloat about my brand-new gladiator as I tour the Arenas in the Former Earth Kingdom"

Ozai's eyes widened in surprise, and he nodded in approval shortly afterward, a smirk on his face.

"It's a good plan… it should serve as the perfect cover story"

"It will" said Azula "While I travel through the largest cities of the continent, pretending to boast about my fighter's prowess, I will send my guards in disguise so they can gather as much information as they can about the Rough Rhinos. It would be as if I were setting down a web to trap them…"

"And, since the guards never show their faces, nobody would guess they're anything other than townsfolk, or travelers from the mainland" said Ozai, chuckling "Indeed, that's quite a way to capture them. They'll be in your grasp before they even realize who the one to bring their demise was"

"It's what I was striving towards" said Azula, allowing herself a small smirk of satisfaction. It didn't matter how displeased she was in the many aspects of her life: whenever her father showed her his approval she couldn't ignore the surge of pride that grew within her chest.

"How will your journey proceed?" asked Ozai, curious.

"I intend to begin at Yu Dao" said Azula "It's the last place where the Rough Rhinos have been seen. My guards will gather as much information about them as possible while I stay at Yu Dao for a week or so. Once we have enough leads, I'll devise what we must do from there on. I plan on sending a group of my men to track the Rhinos while I travel towards Omashu. I'll keep in touch with the men I'll send to follow the Rhinos' trail through messenger hawks, to make sure they're progressing smoothly. After Omashu, I will head to Gaoling. My barge will be waiting at the southern shore of the colonies to take me north to Ba Sing Se, where I hope to reunite with the men who should have captured the Rhinos effectively by then… unless they turn out to be incompetent fools, that is. And if they happen to be, I'll be making a last stop at Garsai, which will broaden my opportunities to ensnare them in case they haven't been caught by then"

"You'll be traveling throughout the entire continent…" said Ozai, thoughtful "It sounds like an effective plan indeed, although time might not be your ally"

"Time is hardly anyone's ally, father" Azula muttered, sighing "I intend on spending a week in each city, at the very least. Traveling from each place to the next will take some time as well. My men should be capable enough to seize the Rhinos by then"

"How many soldiers will you take?" asked Ozai, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't intend to raise suspicion by taking actual soldiers with me" Azula replied "I will be taking my Royal Guards only"

"But your Royal Guards might not be enough…" muttered Ozai "You will need to double your Royal Procession, at the very least"

Azula frowned upon the suggestion.

"If you intend to split your group by sending men to pursue the Rough Rhinos, your defenses will be very vulnerable" said the Fire Lord.

"But increasing the numbers I already have will make the traveling far more difficult, Father" Azula insisted "You know I can take care of myself in case I'm left nigh defenseless"

"But you won't be left defenseless" Ozai ordered "You will double your Royal Procession, Azula"

Azula knew better than to go against her father's orders, no matter how useless she thought his suggestion was. She was relying on stealth for her mission to be accomplished, and having too many men around her wouldn't help her finish her task as she expected. Yet she nodded, submitting to the Fire Lord's will. She would find a way to make use of the additional soldiers her father had forced upon her.

"Are there Gladiator Arenas in each city you will visit?" asked Ozai.

"Yes, there are" Azula assured him "I will issue out challenges to sponsors in the Colonies right away… but I wanted to let you know about what I had planned so far, to make sure I had your consent, father"

"You do" said Ozai, nodding "Make sure to ponder every stage of this plan carefully. Any slip-ups and you might lose track of the Rhinos. Remember they are quite dangerous, so you'd do best to keep out of damage's way"

"I'll do my best to avoid any possible predicaments" she replied "You needn't worry, father. I know better than to take on five bandits riding Komodo Rhinos by myself"

"Oh, I know you do" said Ozai, smiling "You have my blessings, Azula. Good luck"

"Thank you, father" Azula whispered, bowing her head towards Ozai.

"Run along now. You need to send those challenges" said Ozai, taking his scroll on his hand again.

Azula stood up and bowed once again, turning around and leaving the room feeling slightly relieved. She had feared Ozai might set back her plans somehow, perhaps deciding he wouldn't give her the opportunity to prove herself if her strategies weren't to his liking… she was beyond glad to know he was most willing to entrust this mission on her hands. Having to add more men to her ranks was the one thing she wasn't too pleased about, but she would do it regardless, if only to give her Father some peace of mind.

One of her guards awaited her outside, and she ordered him to assemble her palanquin bearers right away. She needed to go to the Grand Royal Dome immediately. She wasn't too fond of the idea of bringing Sokka along with her on her journey, but she had decided not to give the matter too much thought. He was to be used as her cover story and nothing more. If he dared take a step out of line, she would take it upon herself to put him in his rightful place, and she would thoroughly enjoy doing so.

The Royal Procession wasn't as crowded as usual this time. The preparations for their voyage kept the guards busy. Azula told the Captain to continue supervising the arrangements along most his men and she only took two guards along with her on her quick trip to the Capital's Arena.

Shoji jumped when he saw the Princess walking down the vestibule towards him. The last time he had seen her, she had stormed off from the Arena without sparing so much as a glance his way. Her guards had passed right after her, carrying her gladiator on a stretcher. The boy knew nothing of the gladiator's fate, or of why Azula had seemed so upset that day…

"Princess…" he gasped "How is the Blue Wolf recovering? Is he doing alright?"

Azula's eyes narrowed at the mention of her gladiator's name, a detail that didn't escape Shoji's sharp mind.

"I don't know how he's recovering, nor do I want to know. His incompetence landed him his wounds, and he'd best suffer them quietly. It's what a true warrior would do"

Shoji blinked a few times, surprised by the cold way in which Azula had delivered her words.

"O-okay…" he said, nodding in slight fear. The Fire Lord's daughter seemed considerably angry over something that Shoji didn't understand. Something was bothering her, but he had no right to ask her what it was "I… I suppose you'd like to know your gladiator's position?"

Azula raised an eyebrow. To be honest, she didn't care for it much, but in order to maintain appearances…

"Yes, of course" said Azula, folding her arms over her chest.

"Well, he's 320 right now" said Shoji, beaming in hopes to transfer his enthusiasm to the Princess "You're about twenty spots above the Blind Bandit! Congratulations!"

"Right…" said Azula, knowing she should feel a lot more excited over those news… but surpassing her uncle and the insane earthbender he sponsored had lost most of its previous appeal "That's not the sole reason why I came here, though"

"Oh, of course!" said Shoji, still smiling "Would you like to see the challenges you haven't replied to? Or maybe you'd like to issue out a challenge to someone else?"

"I'd like to tour through the Fire Nation Colonies with my gladiator, that's what I'd like to do" Azula retorted, feeling there was no need to wait to reveal her grand plan.

Shoji's eyes widened as he stared at Azula in surprise.

"W-what? How come?"

"Do I need a reason?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow that seemed to be asking if he was defying her authority.

"N-no, of course not!" said Shoji, gulping. She was fiercer than ever before today, wasn't she…? "I'm just surprised to know you'd like to travel through the Former Earth Kingdom… The Arenas over there aren't all that great, if you want me to be honest"

"They aren't?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow.

"The men in charge of the Gladiator Business pretty much blew out half their budget on the Grand Royal Dome alone" said Shoji, smiling awkwardly "This is by far the best Arena there is. I'm not saying the others aren't good… but they're not, uh, fit for a Princess such as yourself, I think"

Azula sighed and placed a hand on the counter, getting closer to the boy for a moment and making him shiver in fear as she glowered at him.

"I have to travel to the Colonies for business I will not explain to you. In order to keep my place in the Gladiator Business, I'm dragging that moron with me and I'm going to fight in those Arenas abroad, whether you think they're fitting for me or not. Am I clear?"

Shoji nodded several times, sweat treading down his forehead as he stared at the Princess in fear.

"Y-yes, of course… I understand" he muttered, lifting the large list of the ranking and handing it to the Princess "T-take your time to choose your opponents! I'll just wait here, yeah… uh, but…"

"But?" asked Azula, taking the scroll on her hand and raising an eyebrow at him. Shoji shrank on his chair before finding the courage to finish muttering what he had wanted to say.

"W-well, if… if you have to travel for something… you wouldn't have to drop out of the business altogether" he said, biting his lip "Even if it takes over three months… you wouldn't have to drop out"

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Azula, glaring at him fiercely.

"D-didn't I explain that to you at some point…? Uh… I guess I didn't" said Shoji, scratching his head "W-well, the thing is, if a sponsor is unable to play his part on the Arena during his gladiator's fight, he can authorize someone else to take his place until he can get back to the Gladiator Business. The sponsor simply has to sign an authorization note so that the other person can act as a secondary sponsor…"

Azula's eyebrow twitched at that. Why hadn't she heard of that before? She probably had skipped over that bit when she was reading the rules of gladiator combats…

"Is that so…?" she muttered. Not taking Sokka along on her trip would help her focus on her mission… but she had no idea who to ask to provide the service of secondary sponsor. Mai was absolutely out of the question right now, she had a child to take care of. Ty Lee… no, not Ty Lee. Azula might not want anything to do with Sokka in a romantic sense anymore, but she was definitely not going to throw him into the arms of a girl who was flexible enough to get into any man's pants. Zuko? No, he would never agree to help her… It was no good. She had nobody to ask to take upon sponsoring Sokka while she was gone. And besides, using Sokka as a cover story had become a major part of her plan… she couldn't discard him anymore, no matter how badly she wished she could "Well, it makes no difference. I'm going to take him with me to the Colonies regardless"

"O-of course" said Shoji, smiling nervously as Azula began scanning the list of fighters with her golden eyes.

"I will need a response to these challenges as quickly as possible" said Azula "I'll travel to the Colonies in two weeks. I want an answer from every sponsor by then, or else they'll have to answer directly to me when I drop by their cities"

"Yes, yes… I'll make it clear they're very urgent challenges, of course" said Shoji, smiling.

"Well, then…" said Azula, leering at the boy once again "Let's get started"

* * *

Sokka's knuckles turned white as he grasped the sword's hilt tightly. A week had passed since his last encounter with the Princess, and he had done his best to obey her by focusing only on recovering from his wounds. But Sokka had never been able to stay put for too long. He had no idea when their journey to the Former Earth Kingdom would begin, for all he knew Azula would show up on the next day to tell him it was already time to leave… So he had taken Space Sword in his hands today to see if his strength had already returned to him.

"You lost too much blood, Sokka… you shouldn't be doing that just yet" said Song, frowning as she watched him wielding his sword in the living room.

"I've… I've got to try" he insisted "Else, how will I know if I'm doing better or not?"

"If you push yourself too far, you might end up worse instead" said Song, folding her arms over her chest.

"No need to worry, Song" said Sokka, shaking his head as his right hand moved forward, stabbing the air with the blade "See? It's… it's not perfect, but at least I can fight!"

"Sure…" said Song, still distrustful.

Sokka performed a few more moves, his legs stinging him as he shifted his footing. Yes, he still had long ways to go before he could fight properly, but at the very least he could hold his sword. He changed the blade to his left hand now, to test his other arm as well, but he couldn't clutch it appropriately this time around. The injury on his collarbone wasn't too deep, but his left hand begged for mercy whenever he clasped something too tightly with it. He tried to tighten his grip around the sword, but his fingers gave way against his will…

… And the sword's hilt just happened to land on his toes. Sokka screamed and jumped on one foot, grasping the other with his right hand. Song rolled her eyes as she watched him squirm in pain, falling on a nearby couch as he massaged his foot.

"I told you so. You'd only make it all worse" she said, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Of course you'd say that …" he muttered, gritting his teeth and taking off his boot to get a good look at his swelling toes "Damn it…"

A knock on the door took them both by surprise as they stared at Sokka's foot. Song walked to the door as Sokka's insides twisted with anxiety… was it her? Had she come to take him to the Earth Kingdom? Or was she going to tell him when they would set out…? Maybe she'd tell him she wouldn't bring him along after all… The pain on his foot seemed to take the backseat as he watched the way Song opened the door too slowly for Sokka's liking.

But it wasn't her. It wasn't Azula. His eyes fell when he only saw the red uniform of a Royal Guard. Sokka tilted his head down for a moment, thinking of how dumb he had been to expect Azula to come here again…

_You're an eyesore._

The last words she had spoken towards him rang on his head once more. He grimaced and dropped his head, staring at the new wound on his foot. His skin was starting to turn red. Trying to focus on that, he decided to put aside his thoughts of Azula, even if he wasn't likely to succeed. He had finally come to accept that, no matter how hard he tried, he would never manage to get her out of his mind.

"Captain!" Song exclaimed, surprised to see the man "To what do we owe the pleasure…?"

"I came to inform the gladiator of…" the Captain started, but he caught sight of the Water Tribe man sitting on the couch, rubbing his foot and grimacing at his pain "What's the matter with him?"

"Oh, you know Sokka…" said Song, shrugging.

"As a matter of fact, I don't think I know him well enough to understand why he's fondling his foot" said the Captain, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, what I meant was that Sokka always finds a way to make a fool of himself" said Song, giggling a little "He was testing his skills with his sword and he dropped it on his foot…"

"Huh… yes, indeed, he always finds a way to make a fool of himself. I was quite aware of that" said the Captain, shaking his head.

"Nice to see you two catching up on the 'Let's trash Sokka' club" Sokka growled from his couch.

"We should set a club up" said the Captain, smirking under his mask "I'm sure it would get crowded quite quickly"

Song chuckled as Sokka rolled his eyes, still rubbing his foot. The Captain entered the house, sitting on a couch opposite Sokka's while Song went to the kitchen to set up some tea for the unexpected visitor.

"So… what are you here for?" asked Sokka, putting on his boot again and trying to forget about the throbbing pain on his toes.

"The Princess commanded me to inform you of what you need to know regarding the journey we'll undertake" said the Captain.

"She did…?" asked Sokka, surprised. He had been certain she wouldn't send anyone to brief him about anything.

"Don't take this the wrong way, gladiator" said the Captain "The only reason she ordered me to do this was to make sure you would know to stay out of her way as she tends to her mission. Just as Song said, you're prone to make a fool of yourself at all times… and the Princess won't tolerate any hindrances to her plans. By informing you about this, you can keep your foolishness to a minimum. Got it?"

"I… I understand" said Sokka, nodding solemnly. The Captain was surprised to see how the demeanor of the gladiator seemed to change completely when he was reminded of his place in the world "Well, then… what are you supposed to inform me about?"

"We will be on the road for a month or two" said the Captain "Most preparations have been made by now. We'll set out to the Colonies in a week"

"One week?" Sokka repeated, surprised, but the Captain ignored him.

"How's your recovery going?"

"I'm getting better" Sokka admitted "At least I can walk on my own now. But I don't know if I'll manage… a week, you said? I don't think I'll be fully recovered by then, even if I do nothing but stay put…"

"Your situation won't set back the Princess's plans, I'm afraid" said the Captain "If you're not fully recovered by then, you'll have to fight as you are"

Sokka sighed and nodded, grimacing. He hoped Azula wouldn't pit him against dangerous opponents…

"The trip will take you from Yu Dao to Omashu, then to Gaoling, afterwards to Ba Sing Se and lastly to Garsai…"

Sokka blinked a few times and gaped at the Captain in surprise.

"W-wait… huh? I'm going to see all the big Earth Kingdom cities?"

"Earth Kingdom…?"

"Oh, I mean… F-Fire Nation colonies" Sokka grunted, grimacing with disgust "Would it only take us a few months to go through all those places?"

"Time is of essence in the Princess's mission. You're not going sightseeing, in case you've forgotten" the Captain declared, as Song set down a cup of tea before him "Thank you"

"You're welcome" said Song, smiling and sitting by Sokka's side.

"I know I'm not going sightseeing…" muttered Sokka, pursing his lips as the Captain removed his hood.

Sokka was thoroughly surprised to discover there was just a human being beneath the mask. He blinked a few times, not knowing what he had been expecting… well, for starters he hadn't expected to ever see what lay beneath that mask. It was odd to realize the Captain was as much of a regular man as he was.

"You'll stay at each city for a week or so" said the Captain, taking a sip of his cup "Traveling from place to place will likely take you two weeks, at most"

"Uh, alright, but… what do you mean by 'you'?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow "Aren't you coming as well?"

"Not for as long as you might think" said the Captain "The Princess will divide her forces and I'll be leading the secondary division…"

"Huh?! What…? What exactly is this mission of hers about?" asked Sokka.

"I'm not sure if you're entitled to know" said the Captain "Therefore, I won't explain unless the Princess thinks it's wise for me to do so"

"Right" muttered Sokka, an eyebrow twitching "You know, I was the one to suggest I could act as a smokescreen! Wouldn't it be fair for me to know what I'm serving as a cover for?"

The Captain seemed to consider the idea for a moment, but he shook his head afterwards.

"I'm not here to be fair, I'm here to tell you what you have to do. Nothing more"

Sokka grimaced and shook his head.

"I don't know why I expected anything else from you…"

"You will travel with the Princess at all times" said the Captain, glaring at Sokka "So make sure to behave properly while around her. If you dare do anything to hurt her again, you'll pay with your life"

"I… I know" said Sokka, nodding.

"Keep as much distance between you two as possible" said the Captain "She has enough things on her mind as it is for her to also have to deal with your thoughtlessness. Know your place as her gladiator"

"I will" said Sokka "I know better now… I won't pester her. I promise"

"Excuse me if I can't bring myself to trust your words blindly" said the Captain, glaring at Sokka. The gladiator was slightly intimidated by the fierce stare. Had he always looked at him with such anger underneath his mask? "If anything, you've proved to be the one person who can damage the Princess in ways nobody else can. I can only be wary around you"

"Yeah… and I don't blame you for it" said Sokka, dropping his gaze.

Song looked from one to the other, worried. She had no idea how to interpret the hostility she could sense between the two men.

"You can pack heavily if you want, seeing how we'll be abroad for a long time, but you will be carrying your own bags all the way to port" said the Captain "Keep that in mind"

"Got it" said Sokka, nodding "By the way… can Song come with us?"

Song jumped in surprise at Sokka's question. The Captain raised an eyebrow slowly, confused.

"What?"

"Well… she's my healer" said Sokka, smiling awkwardly "And a very good one at that. If I get hurt in one of the fights, I'll need her to patch me back together so I can fight on the next ones"

The Captain sighed. Sokka's reasoning was understandable… but he didn't think the Princess would take kindly to bringing another slave with them in their journey to catch the Rough Rhinos. The Captain didn't think it was that a great idea either, mostly for Song's safety. He figured the gladiator would be able to stand his ground if faced with the Rhinos directly, but the slave girl would be at a loss in such situation…

"For her own good, it would be best if she didn't come" said the Captain, shaking his head "You're not in a position to make any requests right now, gladiator. The Princess would likely reject your petition right away. And, for her safety, she should stay here in the mainland"

"My safety…?" asked Song, confused "Why would my safety be endangered in that trip?"

"It's not a simple matter" said the Captain, looking at her with earnest eyes "And I don't think I'm allowed to discuss it openly. You'll have to take my word for it"

"Wait… so if her safety would be jeopardized, wouldn't Azula's be as well? And mine…?" asked Sokka, blinking a few times as reality began sinking in. What on earth was Azula's mission?

"I'm sorry to destroy any illusions you might have had, but I don't care as much about your safety as I would care about hers" said the Captain, glaring at Sokka "You're a fighter, you should be able to take care of yourself"

"Well, in that case, I could protect Song as well…" said Sokka, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you really want to protect her, leave her here. It's the best way to make sure no harm will befall her" declared the Captain.

Sokka grimaced and looked at the girl beside him. Song smiled weakly at him and shrugged.

"It would have been weird for me to travel through the Earth Kingdom with the Fire Lord's daughter's procession, don't you think?"

"I suppose" said Sokka, sighing "Will a healer of any sort travel with us?"

"No, but all the guards have basic knowledge on treating wounds" said the Captain, shrugging.

"That's not exactly reassuring" said Sokka, grimacing.

"If you were to win your fights by a wide margin and beat down all your enemies, maybe you wouldn't need anyone to treat you" said the Captain "How about you do that instead of complaining?"

"Oh, fine" muttered Sokka "But it depends on what kind of fighters I'll be going against…"

"The Princess has already issued out the challenges… I believe she has gotten a positive response on most of them" said the Captain "But I have no information regarding your opponents. I can only suggest you to do your best against them"

"Not like I have another choice, do I?" said Sokka, sighing "If I don't, I'll get myself killed… and maybe not by the guys in the Arena, but by Azula instead"

"I would say the Princess wouldn't do such a thing… but her rage towards you does seem strong enough for her to wish to put an end to you, permanently" said the Captain, shrugging. He didn't seem to care much for Sokka's fate.

The more thought Sokka gave to the journey they would have to undertake, the more disturbed he grew. What could Azula be up to that would force her to travel throughout the entire Former Earth Kingdom? What mysteries was she hiding this time around…?

He lowered his head as he realized he wasn't likely to find out the answers to those questions. She wouldn't deem him worthy of knowing what her true mission was, or else she would have explained everything earlier. He wanted to make up for all the damage he had caused her, for all the pain and anguish… but it seemed impossible. Azula would never trust him again. All he could do was fight to his utmost once they were in the Arenas at the Colonies, so that, at the very least, she would let him stay by her side as her personal fighter. It was the only way in which he could be any use to her anymore.

* * *

"Father…" Azula whispered, knowing she was interrupting the Fire Lord's meditative session, but doing so anyway.

Ozai wasn't bothered by the disruption, though. He knew what Azula had come for. Two weeks had passed already since their last reunion, and her current visit could only mean one thing. He stood up and faced his daughter, a smile on his face as he detailed her flawless appearance. Her dark hair was tied in its half-knot once again, allowing the long strands of jet-black locks flow elegantly down her back. She was fully dressed in her armor, her appearance daunting and inspiring at the same time.

"Are you ready?" asked Ozai "Did everything proceed smoothly?"

"Yes" the Princess replied, nodding "The guards are assembled, the ship is loaded and the train-tank is on its way to Yu Dao without a hitch, from what I've heard"

"Very well" said Ozai, smirking "May the tides favor you, my daughter, and may good fortune shine upon you as well"

Azula bowed down solemnly before her father.

"I will complete this mission, father" Azula declared "I will make you proud of my achievements"

"I'm certain you will" said Ozai, as Azula straightened her back again and left the room without another word, her golden eyes ablaze with determination as she strode towards the Palace's Gates with two of her guards flanking her.

Sokka dropped his large bag on the Palace's grounds, right beside the stone steps leading to the main hall that allowed entrance into the largest building in the city. The Royal Guards were chatting amongst themselves, all the same as the palanquin bearers. Sokka had just arrived to the scene, having received a message from the Captain a few days ago for him to arrive at mid-morning in the Palace. Sokka had thought it might be better for him to go straight to the port, but he wasn't going to question what the Captain had told him. It might have been Azula's order to have him join the Procession, and disobeying her now would surely unleash disturbing consequences upon him.

"So… you're really here?" asked someone behind him, taking Sokka by surprise. He turned around to find Prince Zuko staring at him, his golden eyes defiant. The man had been standing near the guards just a moment ago, and he had approached Sokka as soon as he saw him placing his luggage on the ground.

"As far as I know, you're not crazy enough to hallucinate, so I guess I am" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow at Zuko. His rivalry with the Fire Lord's son had been set far back in his list of priorities, but he hadn't forgotten their bitter match at Mai's house, and neither had the Prince.

"I thought this nonsense of a tour was just a ruse" muttered Zuko "I thought she was up to something other than showcasing her gladiator all over the world"

Sokka frowned, holding back his urge to tell Zuko that his assumption was correct. It was surprising to see that Azula seemed to distrust her brother just as much as she distrusted Sokka… though it was quite a disheartening thought as well. She had trusted him before. Ant it had been Sokka's fault that she had withdrawn that trust completely.

"You shouldn't go around trying to guess what Azula is up to" said Sokka "Your curiosity will come back to bite you in the rear if you're not careful"

"Huh?" asked Zuko, confused "What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it means?"

"W-well… I don't know! That's why I'm asking!" Zuko yelled, flushing in embarrassment.

"That's too bad. I thought you were smarter than that. Seems like the wit doesn't run in the family" said Sokka, with a dramatic sigh.

"What…?! Take that back!" Zuko roared, glaring at Sokka angrily.

"What's ticking him now?" asked someone else, walking down the main hall towards them "Why do you go around pissing this guy off, Dog? That's supposed to be my job"

"Your job?" said Sokka, glancing sideways at the Blind Bandit "Since when do you have the exclusive rights to get on Zuko's bad side?"

"I have the exclusive rights to get on anyone's bad side, including yours, Dog" said Toph, smirking as she climbed down the steps and stood before them "I just heard his sweet voice yelling at you when I was passing by, so I figured I'd come find out what the ruckus was this time around"

"There's nothing for you to do here" Zuko growled, leering at the earthbender "And my voice isn't sweet!"

"Can't catch a hint of sarcasm, can you?" Toph said, smirking.

"I was insulting his brains too, you're welcome to join the party if you want" said Sokka, folding his arms over his chest and smirking at Zuko as well.

"Q-quit it" Zuko growled, his anger escalating with every passing moment.

"Nah, I didn't come here just to prod at his ego" said Toph, turning towards Sokka "Iroh mentioned something about the Jewel traveling, but I didn't know you were tagging along. She's taking you with her?"

"Yeah, she is… and we're going to fight in other Arenas over at the Earth Kingdom" said Sokka, proudly.

"Oh, really?" asked Toph, smirking "You sure you can handle those fights, Dog?"

"Huh?" said Sokka, surprised "Why do you ask?"

"You're really naïve, aren't you?" Toph said, shaking her head "Earth Kingdom gladiators are, mostly, earthbenders. And I don't think I need to remind you of how your last fight against an earthbender went, or do I?"

Sokka frowned at Toph's declaration. His opponents were still a mystery to him, he had no clue who Azula had challenged this time around. Probably just non-benders… right? She knew better than to put their progress through the ranking at risk by having him fight benders of any kind… but he couldn't let Toph see she had planted seeds of uncertainty in his mind.

"You're just saying that because you're mad we've surpassed you" said Sokka, smirking "How's life in the lower half of the ranking, Bandit?"

"Seriously?" she asked, glaring at him "You're in the lower half of the ranking as well, Dog. Didn't your people teach you how to divide five hundred in half?"

Sokka's eyebrow twitched and he shook his head in irritation, trying to focus on what mattered.

"Still, I'm way ahead of you! For over three hundred points, no less!"

"That's going to change soon, believe me" said Toph, smirking "Enjoy your short-lived advantage for now, Dog… it's not going to happen ever again"

"Says you" Sokka said, glaring at Toph.

"My, my, so much hostility" asked another arrival, surprising Sokka.

"Why do you people keep popping out of nowhere?" he asked, glaring at the approaching Iroh, who was walking down the hall that Toph had just appeared from.

"Ah, is it all coming from you?" asked the old man, smiling at Sokka and making sure he'd glare at him with even more fierceness.

"Not really, some of it comes from Princess Zuko over there" said Toph, smiling at her sponsor and pointing at the Fire Lord's son.

"What the…?! Don't call me that!" Zuko yelled, looking as if he were about to lose his temper completely.

"Not Princess? Hmmm… Lady Zuko!" Toph said, smiling brightly as Zuko's hands became engulfed in orange fire.

"Peace, Zuko!" said Iroh, jumping between the pair "You two won't ever try to get along, will you?"

"What for?" said Toph, chuckling "It's a lot more fun to piss him off"

"Don't ask me to get along with the likes of her!" Zuko yelled, glaring both at his uncle and his gladiator.

Iroh grimaced at his nephew's screams, patting him on the shoulder in hopes he would calm down. Sokka was still glaring at him, not comfortable at being in the same place as the old man. He had only seen him a few times before, but he had kept his guard up on every opportunity. If Azula was wary of the man, he would be as well.

"What are you doing here, Uncle?" Zuko muttered, wishing Iroh would leave and give him the chance to fight Toph at last.

"I heard Azula would be taking off today, so I came to watch her leave" said the old man, turning around towards Sokka "You'll be joining Princess Azula on her journey?"

Iroh looked at Sokka with calm eyes. Sokka stared right back at him. His eyes were the same color as Azula's… but they were very different at the same time. Sokka had seen many things in Azula's golden gaze: her emotions, her intelligence, her determination… but Iroh's amber eyes were impossible to read. It was impossible for him to tell what the man might be thinking about.

"Yeah… I will" said Sokka, frowning "What of it?"

"I'm just impressed" said Iroh, smiling "I didn't know you two were so close"

"C-close?" asked Sokka, gaping at the man in shock. No, they weren't close. They had been close before, perhaps… but not anymore, and they probably never would be again.

"Well, seeing how she has quite a mission ahead of herself…" said Iroh, smiling "For her to decide to bring you along… it must mean she trusts you quite a lot"

Sokka's eyes widened with shock at those words. Of course she didn't trust him. There was no way she trusted him… why was this man saying those things? What was the matter with him? How had he known the situation between him and Azula had grown so strained? Did the old man know his words were stabbing his heart as if they were knives? Judging by the calm contained in his eyes… he did. Sokka's reaction would have surprised him if it had been otherwise.

"Her mission?!" asked Zuko, grasping his uncle by the shoulder and forcing him to turn around towards him "I knew it… I knew it! She wasn't just traveling to brag about him!"

"To brag about whom?" asked Iroh, confused.

Sokka only remembered then that Iroh knew about Azula's true intent by traveling to the Former Earth Kingdom. He was about to tell him to keep quiet regarding Azula's mission, but the sudden appearance of the Princess at the end of the hall froze him on the spot.

Iroh dragged Zuko and Toph to the side as Azula strode between the four of them, followed by her guards. Sokka wanted to look up at her, to watch her as she passed by, headed towards her palanquin, but he dropped his gaze to the ground, bowing his head down to her almost by reflex. Azula gave no hints of taking notice of Sokka or any of the others, striding towards her palanquin with steady footing, her head held up high.

Sokka looked up as she climbed aboard the vehicle. Closeness, trust… they had been there before, but they were both gone. He was left with nothing but the shadow of what they could have been, with the memories of a shared past that seemed so far away it hardly felt real anymore.

"Good luck on those fights, Dog" said Toph, bringing Sokka back to reality "You're definitely going to need it"

Sokka nodded to acknowledge her words and he leaned down to pick up his luggage, leaving behind the three people who were staring at him intently as he treaded after the palanquin. He exited the Palace's premises, looking up at the closed drapes of the vehicle with the feeble hope that, maybe, he and Azula would find what they had lost during this journey into the Former Earth Kingdom…

**A/N:**

**Thank you very much for all your support during the 500 reviews-event I held last week! The deadline for the questions was twenty-four hours, and sadly, a few people came in too late for me to answer…but fear not! If the story hasn't answered your questions if/when we reach 1000 reviews, I'll make sure to hold the event again and those late questions will be the first ones to get answered!**

**To all those who didn't get to ask their questions, you might get a chance to do so if the story reaches 1000 reviews! ^^ Meanwhile, I hope you continue enjoying reading Gladiator as I enjoy writing it! Thanks again for all the support!**


	33. Chapter 33

"… From what we've been able to gather, the Rough Rhinos are heavily armed. They will injure or kill anyone who stands in their way"

"So I've heard" Azula muttered, frowning as her Captain delivered the information about their enemies "You compiled biographies about each member of the group, as I ordered you… didn't you?"

"Yes, I did" said the Captain, nodding.

"Very well. Let's hear them" said Azula, crossing her legs as she looked expectantly at the man.

Sitting on her throne-like seat on the barge allowed Azula to glare at all her subjects properly, but right now she was more intent on being completely briefed about the Rough Rhinos than on reminding everyone on the ship that she was the one in charge. The Captain had laid out a table on the barge's main deck, and Azula was currently sitting before it with her legs crossed, on the smoothest cushion available. The Captain sat opposite to her, searching through an array of scrolls to find the one in which he had written down all the information he had been able to obtain regarding the Rough Rhinos' members. As soon as he found the right paper, he spread it wide open and began reading.

"The Rhinos' leader is Colonel Mongke, as we already know" said the Captain "He's the single firebender of the group. He used to serve under your Uncle in the army"

"Forming his own group was a witty call" muttered Azula "If he had remained at my Uncle's service he would have gotten himself killed in Ba Sing Se to no avail"

"Indeed… if that had been the case, we wouldn't have a mission before us right now" said the Captain.

"It would have saved us the trouble, true… but I need this mission" Azula declared.

"Of course" said the Captain, not entirely certain of why Azula needed a mission, but agreeing with her for the sake of it "The Colonel is skilled at bending, but he also has a very sharp mind. His intelligence is no match to yours, naturally… but it would be best to be cautious with Mongke. He can be completely unpredictable, and any unpredictable firebender can be deadly"

"Naturally" said Azula, frowning "You'll have to keep that in mind. You're likely to be the one who will face and capture them"

"You can rest assured. I will be wary of them all, especially Mongke" said the Captain, nodding "About the other members… one is called Ogodei. He fights with chains that have steel balls attached to their ends. He's very skilled at capturing his opponents. There's also Vachir, a former member of the Yu-Yan Archers. According the information we obtained about him, he fights using arrows on fire…"

"How?" asked Azula, frowning

"He has a torch of some sort on his bow. He uses it to set the tips of his arrows on fire" the Captain explained.

"So there's only one firebender, but this one fights with fire as well…" Azula muttered, thoughtful.

"Kahchi is the fourth member" continued the Captain "His weapon is a halberd, a guan dao. He's the slowest of them all, apparently, but he's the most lethal in short-distance combat. His skill with his weapon is something to behold. Flawless offense, flawless defense…"

Sokka walked into the deck, overhearing the last words the Captain had just said. He raised an eyebrow, confused about what he might be discussing with the Princess. He had been looking for Azula for a while now, wanting to ask her about his opponents. Azula hadn't even bothered looking his way throughout the entire voyage, and Sokka had decided to leave her alone for the time being. But with every passing second they came closer to Yu Dao, and he still knew nothing of the enemy he would be facing in the Arena. He had gone to her cabin first, and he had stood knocking on the door for several minutes, wondering if the Princess wouldn't answer because she had known it was him somehow, before a guard caught sight of him and told him Azula was up on the deck.

He had hoped she would be alone, he knew better than to interrupt her if she was up to something important… and, indeed, the Princess was occupied. Sokka walked to the rim of the ship, sitting far from where Azula and the Captain were, but keeping an eye on them in hopes he would get his chance to talk to Azula as soon as she had finished her conversation with her guard.

"The last one is Yeh-Lu" said the Captain, frowning "He's a bombs expert. His explosives are very dangerous, and they use them as a cover to escape whenever the situation is unfavorable for them. It's how they got out of Yu Dao when they attacked the city"

"Of course" muttered Azula, frowning "So there's only one firebender, yet there are two more that fight with fire. It shouldn't be so difficult to defeat the ones who can't even bend the fire they're using to attack"

"It shouldn't, but we can't lower our guard around them" said the Captain.

"You'd best keep that in mind at all times" Azula declared "It won't be easy to capture them. They're all skilled at riding their Komodo Rhinos, aren't they?"

"Very much so" the Captain admitted "Their steeds are strong and fast, nigh unstoppable when they break into an all-out race. Their horns are deadly, their hides almost impenetrable"

"It won't be an easy battle" Azula muttered "They're not just five bandits, they have five deadly mounts as well. You'll have to take ten men with you, at the very least"

"But that's…"

"Yes, twice as much as we agreed before, but now you've briefed me about them, I fear there's no other way" said Azula, somewhat amused to think she was almost reliving her previous conversation with her father "No need to worry, I'll be left with ten more guards to stand by me"

"Ten might not be enough" said the Captain, grimacing.

"Ten has been enough all along. It's always been ten guards in my Royal Procession" Azula stated "And I wouldn't be defenseless even if I ended up on my own, Captain. I know how to take care of myself"

"Of course you do, Princess" said the Captain, nodding and bowing down his head towards her.

"Very well, then. Make sure you have selected the men you'll take with you by the time we make it to Yu Dao" said Azula, standing up "According to the ship captain, we should be there by tomorrow afternoon"

"Yes, Princess" said the Captain, picking up his papers and nodding again.

Azula turned around, headed towards the inside of the ship once more. Sokka jumped from where he was, extending a hand to try and stop her, but he already knew he wouldn't reach her in time.

"Az-…" he started, but he couldn't even finish calling out her name.

The Princess showed no signs of having heard him. She disappeared through the door he had passed by only a moment ago. Sokka was left standing where he was, his hand still raised towards her, her blatant rejection hurting him in ways nobody had ever harmed him before. There was nothing he could do… nothing…

The Captain caught sight of his figure, having noticed Sokka's appearance from the moment the gladiator had entered the deck. Azula had taken notice of him as well, her eyebrows had instantly twitched as soon as she heard Sokka's footsteps. The Captain doubted Sokka planned to do any harm to her this time around. He figured the gladiator would have a good reason to come look for her… but Azula still wanted nothing to do with him. The Captain stood up and looked at Sokka, watching the way he dropped his arm slowly, his downcast eyes portraying the pain and loneliness that dwelled within him.

"What are you doing up here?" asked the Captain, bringing Sokka out of his depressive daze.

"U-uh… I just wanted to ask something to her, but, well… you can see how that went" said Sokka, shrugging and walking to the rim of the ship again, his eyes fixated on the water.

"You weren't really expecting anything else, were you?" asked the Captain, approaching Sokka and standing beside him with his back turned to the ocean.

"I know she can't forgive me that easily for what I did, but I'm trying to set things right. It'd be great if she'd let me" said Sokka, sighing and shaking his head.

"Unless you give her a reason to let you, she won't be in for this" said the Captain "If you're determined on earning her pardon, you should try harder"

"How much harder?" asked Sokka, grimacing "She doesn't even want to acknowledge I'm alive, how am I supposed to do anything else to earn her forgiveness…?"

"I'm sorry to say I don't have all the answers to your problems" the Captain declared "I just hope you have learned to never take a woman's heart lightly"

"I guess I have" muttered Sokka, sighing "You think… you think she actually liked me?"

"She might have" said the Captain, shrugging "I can't pretend to understand the Princess better than anyone. She's the only one who understands herself"

"Indeed" said Sokka, nodding "She's just beyond men like us, isn't she? Too far from us to grasp…"

"I have always known that" said the Captain "Yet it seems you only learned that as of late…"

"And in the hard way" said Sokka, nodding "I was stupid enough to forget my place in the world, stupid enough to only think about myself. And… and I said she was selfish, but even if she is to some extent, so was I… and I had no right to be. I'm just a gladiator, just a slave…"

"She didn't think you were just a slave" said the Captain "And she doesn't think so now either"

Sokka frowned and looked at the man with confused eyes.

"How do you know…? You know what she thinks of me now?"

"Of course. She thinks you're the lowest form of life there is, that there's no way to make you pay for all the mistakes you made" the Captain stated matter-of-factly, making Sokka grimace.

"T-that's just wonderful" said Sokka, staring into the ocean again.

"And with that you can tell she sees you as much more than a slave" said the Captain "To her, you were an ally. As you are now, it seems you are a threat. Yet she has never looked down on you…"

"Well, I wouldn't push it that far…" Sokka muttered, but the Captain ignored him.

"… Never treated you as she treats her servants. In her eyes, you've always been different. Even now, you are different. She can't behave around you in the way she would with any other slave. She can't order you around, can't make you kneel and swear eternal fealty…"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that" said Sokka, sighing "I mean, if she wanted me to, I probably would…"

"But she won't do it. Because… because she respects you"

Sokka's eyes widened at the Captain's admission. The man's head was hung, as if he had finally found the solution to a puzzle he had been struggling to solve for far too long… and the result happened to be disheartening instead of fulfilling for him.

"Even now, after whatever you've done… she respects the fact that you can hurt her. Before she was on her guard, wary of anything you might say or do, and always ready to counter your jabs. Now she stays far from you, keeping her distance, because being on her guard wasn't enough. You're just a non-bender, you're not that strong… but you could pierce right through her defenses in ways nobody had ever done it before. She's afraid of what you can unleash upon her. And I'd say she has every right to be"

Sokka sighed and nodded, his knuckles turning white as he clasped the rim of the ship tightly.

"You're a threat to her, she'd be a fool to take you lightly. And the Princess is no fool"

"But I am one" said Sokka, sighing "I… I don't even know what I took our relationship to be. I got it all wrong, though…"

"I don't know what happened between you" said the Captain "And I doubt I want to know. It might make me want to beat you to a pulp"

"Yeah, likely" muttered Sokka, gulping. If Azula's most loyal guard knew Sokka and the Princess had shared quite a passionate moment in the Arena's waiting room, he'd likely try to kill him. He wouldn't even need to hear the full extent of their conflict, just knowing he had kissed her would be enough for him to slay Sokka on the spot.

"But you said before that you would spend the rest of your life making up for your mistakes" said the Captain "So giving up now…"

"I'm not giving up" said Sokka, shaking his head "I'm never giving up. But it's just… hard. It makes me wonder if anything of what I'm doing is any use"

"It's more use than it seems on first glance" said the Captain "For you to strive to set things right speaks better of your character than you think"

Sokka blinked a few times before looking at the Captain with astonishment.

"Okay… I hadn't quite realized this until just now, but… you're being nice to me. You're actually being nice to me!"

The Captain grimaced under his hood and huffed, shaking his head. This gladiator was the most irritating man he knew.

"I'm not being nice, I'm being honest. I'm saying what I think. The Princess was reckless while around you, she would push me aside and get away with everything she wanted… yet during that time there was a spark in her eyes I had never seen in them before. That spark is gone now, and I don't know if it'll ever come back to her. But you're the reason why she had that spark in the first place. If there's a chance she can get it back, it'll probably be because of you"

Sokka's eyes widened at those words. He had no idea what Azula was like whenever he wasn't around, obviously… but he had never thought someone else would sense there was a change in her demeanor because of him. His impact on her life had been evident. He hadn't been imagining things when he caught sight of what hid behind the Princess's golden irises: the Captain had noticed it also.

"Y-you want that spark… to return" muttered Sokka, lowering his eyes "You think… you think she was actually happy back then? You think I… you think I made her happy?"

"I don't think so. I know so" said the Captain, sighing "Why you, of all people? I have no idea. I don't really see anything special about you other than the fact that the Princess thought you were special. I don't get it, personally… but I care about the Princess's wellbeing. And if someone can make her smile wholeheartedly again someday, it's probably you"

"I… I get it" said Sokka, nodding. He didn't really think he would be able to make Azula smile again, her hate towards him seemed to know no end… but just as the Captain wanted Azula to be happy again, so did Sokka. Even if he wasn't the one who could give her that happiness again, he needed to make sure she could smile once more. Once that was done, he could step away from her life and leave her alone if that was what she wished for… but as it was, he would stay by her side no matter how painful it would be. Until he was sure she had found happiness, he wouldn't leave her. He couldn't leave her.

"Just… give her some space" said the Captain "She needs it. Show her the respect she commands. I believe the Princess will come to accept you again one day if you do so"

"Alright" said Sokka, nodding "I'll do that"

"Good" said the Captain, relieved to see the gladiator seemed to have understood the message indeed. He stepped away from Sokka, thinking about fetching some food, but he stopped when he heard the slave calling him.

"Captain…" said Sokka, looking at him with earnest eyes "Thanks"

"I didn't say all that for your sake. You should know that by now" the Captain grumbled.

"Of course not" said Sokka, smiling "But that's why I'm glad. You don't really care for me, and you clearly don't like me, but you think I can fix this. You actually believe I can set things right again. And you're willing to give me that opportunity even if I don't deserve it. So… thanks"

The Captain sighed and slid his hands into his pockets, walking away and shaking his head in disbelief. That gladiator was insane.

Sokka smiled to himself as the Captain walked to the door through which Azula had left not too long ago. Even though speaking to the Royal Guard hadn't been that much help, considering he hadn't made any progress with Azula altogether, it had served to cheer him up. The Captain trusted him to fix the disaster he had wrecked, and he actually believed Sokka could succeed! His support was quite refreshing. Before he had felt like a tiny stone waging a war against a mountain… now he felt like a large boulder. It didn't mean he would succeed, but at the very least, he felt invigorated. It had given him the strength to fight when he had been tempted to surrender.

He turned towards the bow of the ship, his stare lost in the horizon. The ship was already sailing through Earth Kingdom waters. They had passed by the last Fire Nation islands the previous day and slipped through the ship blockade only a few hours ago. Sokka seized the rim of the ship again, the salty wind playing with some loose strands of his hair as he made up his mind about waiting. Piandao had often told him he needed to be patient, and that had been a lesson he had never managed to learn… it seemed he would have to learn it the hard way. He would endure anything and everything, and stand in wait for as long as needed until Azula could find some happiness once more.

* * *

The city of Yu Dao was the first Earth Kingdom town to become a Fire Nation Colony. The Colony had been established decades before the Hundred Year War had begun. With the joint efforts of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom citizens, firebenders and earthbenders alike, the town had turned into a very busy city in no time.

Sokka stared in awe as he treaded behind the Royal Procession, baffled by the seemingly endless sights and sounds. The noise coming from the stores was uncommon for Sokka. He had become accustomed to the Fire Nation Capital's calm, the elegance that the noblemen had imprinted on their main city made it pretentious and prestigious at the same time. Yu Dao was the entire opposite. It seemed prosperous and well-organized, yet also blistering with business. People were hard at work everywhere he looked, and everyone seemed happy about it. It looked like a good place to live.

Azula's Palanquin made its way through the busy streets, earning itself the amazed stares of the townsfolk. Word had spread quickly about Azula's visit to the Former Earth Kingdom, and the Fire Nation colonials were most curious to meet the Princess for the first time. Sokka followed the Palanquin as they passed through the main street of Yu Dao. To his slight discomfort, the Procession seemed to become more crowded by the minute. He looked over his shoulder to realize that curious onlookers had decided to follow the Palanquin, all of them eager to catch a glimpse of the Fire Lord's daughter.

The palanquin bearers set Azula down right before the Mayor's home. The plump man was standing in front of his house, a smile on his face as he stared at the Palanquin, his daughter and wife flanking him. Their elegant clothes gave them away as members of the city's high class, seeing how everyone else around wore casual and common garments. There was a chance that the Mayor and his family didn't always dress like that, but they had to look their best if they were to welcome Princess Azula into the Fire Nation Colonies.

The curtains of the palanquin were drawn back by two of Azula's men, revealing the figure of the Princess sitting within. She delivered one of her arrogant glares towards the Mayor and his family before standing up and climbing off the vehicle. She didn't miss the way the Mayor's daughter stared at her in admiration. Good. She should be in awe.

"Welcome to Yu Dao, Princess Azula" said Mayor Morishita, bowing down before Azula. His wife and daughter followed his lead, and soon enough, the entire crowd of curious onlookers that had surrounded the Royal Procession were bowing down as well.

"Rise" Azula commanded, and all the people who had been bending over, with their left hands extended and their right balled into a fist, straightened their backs and dedicated themselves to staring at her again.

"I trust your voyage was pleasant?" asked the Mayor, smiling kindly.

"As pleasant as any trip on a ship could be" Azula replied.

"Please excuse the citizens for their enthusiasm" said the Mayor's wife, smiling as well "It's the first time a royal visits the city in over ten years"

"It's the first time I visit the city. Their enthusiasm is perfectly justified" declared Azula, proudly "I trust my accommodations are ready?"

"Oh, of course, Princess" said the Mayor, nodding "I hope you find them to your liking. We have arranged for you to share our home during the week you'll spend in Yu Dao"

"Very well" said Azula, staring at the house behind the family. It sure didn't look like a place she would find to her liking… but it would have to suffice. It wasn't as if she was taking a vacation. She had better things to worry about than staying over in a mediocre house "I will need a place to store the palanquin while the Royal Procession stays here…"

"Uh… what?" said the Mayor, blinking a few times in surprise.

Azula glared at him coldly. Why was he making her repeat herself?

"Was there anything unclear in what I said, Mayor Morishita?"

"N-no, well… but there seems to be one problem" said the man, gulping. The Princess already was frightening enough without those killer glares…

"And what might that be?" asked Azula, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Well, as you can see… this isn't that large a house" said Morishita, grimacing "We hadn't thought we would have to host your entire Procession…"

Azula frowned. He was going to separate her from her men? How was she supposed to lead them through their mission if they would be staying at another place?

"Is that so?" she growled, her eyes narrow.

"I'm so sorry to set back your plans as it is" said the Mayor, nervous "But we only arranged rooms for you and your gladiator…"

Azula's eyes snapped wide open upon that claim. A few ways away, Sokka jumped as well. The others had to leave, but he could stay? Stay in that house, with that family… and Azula? Something about it was utterly foreboding…

Azula cringed before composing herself. Of course they would arrange a room for Sokka, but not for her guards… and she hated to realize it made sense. She was supposed to be touring with her gladiator, bragging about him and presenting him all over the world… The Mayor's house was definitely not large enough to house a Princess, a gladiator, twenty Royal Guards and eight palanquin bearers. Yet staying only with Sokka… the thought produced a burning anger in her that made her feel as if she had swallowed a chunk of lava.

And the worst part was that she couldn't show how much it bothered her to have to stick with Sokka. Doing so would seem absolutely absurd in the eyes of everyone around. She narrowed her eyes again before turning towards the Captain of her Royal Guard, who had been standing right behind her.

"I suppose that hood isn't thick enough for you to have missed what I've just been informed about" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"It isn't, Princess" said the Captain, bowing down to her.

"Then I suggest you get moving to find proper lodging for you all" she snapped at him, being brusque towards him even though she knew the man wasn't to blame for the unexpected turn of events.

"Oh, uh…" said a member of the crowd, a short man with an odd mustache that took a step forward towards the Procession "I-If it please Your Royal Highness… I have an inn a few streets away. I have several rooms available… I think I can accommodate your men, if you'd like me to…"

Azula turned her cruel glare towards the man, who shivered when he realized the Princess had focused her attention on him.

"Well… I rather doubt he's not trustworthy" she said, analyzing him quickly "There's little a short man like that could do to an entire battalion of Royal Guards…"

"Indeed, Princess" said the Captain, smiling slightly under his hood "No need to concern yourself about us. We'll sort this matter out. As soon as we find a place to stay, we'll let you know. We'll bring your luggage to the Mayor's house after this matter is solved"

"Very well, then" said Azula, glaring at the Captain again before lowering her gaze, her hands balling into fists… "Gladiator!"

Sokka jumped again when she called for him as she did. Clutching his weapons and bags, Sokka stared at the Princess in mild fear. Her temper seemed to become worse and worse with every passing second, and at this rate he would end up getting burned to ashes if she found no better way to ease her frustration.

"Don't stay behind" Azula grunted, glaring at Sokka and jerking her head towards the Morishita's house.

Sokka gulped and nodded promptly, trembling in expectation as he followed Azula into the house. Perhaps he would finally get his opportunity to talk to the Princess…

He didn't, of course. Azula focused on Mayor Morishita when she entered the house, questioning him about the city's situation. The man had responded kindly, but had offered to speak at leisure over dinner instead. Azula didn't seem satisfied with his responses, but she didn't complain. The family led the two of them to their home's dining room, but to everyone's surprise, Azula refused to go inside immediately.

"Go ahead, Mayor" she muttered "There's something I need to tell my slave. It won't take us long"

"Of course, Princess. Take all the time you need, we'll be waiting for you" said Morishita, smiling as he guided his wife and daughter into the room, leaving a nervous Sokka and a rabid Azula in the house's main hall.

Azula turned to Sokka, her golden eyes as unyielding as ever. Sokka held back the urge to gulp or to take a step back. He couldn't falter right now. He owed her that much.

"I don't think there's any use in me trusting you to behave yourself…" Azula grunted, staring at him "Therefore I'll just threaten you into it. Don't do anything stupid while we're here. Don't break anything, don't touch anything, don't say anything and don't try to get into the Mayor's daughter's pants"

"Of course I-… huh? W-what?" Sokka asked, taken by surprise at her last phrase.

"You're prone to doing stupid things. I only listed the stupidest I could come up with" Azula declared, rolling her eyes "I'm going to remind you that this trip is not, in fact, for your sake. You are the last of my priorities. You wouldn't even be here if I had found another way to sort out this mess. So if you dare do anything remotely off-limits…"

"I know, I know…" said Sokka, lifting his hands and showing her his palms in signal of rendition "You'll tell one of your guards to stick his hand into my mouth and turn me inside-out to punish me for my misbehavior or something"

"Huh? Tell one of my guards to…?"

"W-well, I figured you wouldn't want to do it yourself, or would you?" said Sokka, smiling nervously as beads of sweat ran down his brow.

Azula stared at him in utter confusion and disbelief. There was definitely something wrong in that messed up head of his…

"I hadn't thought of doing something like that to you, to be honest" she muttered, still glaring at him "But I won't say it's not a good idea. I hope that looming threat is enough to keep you in check"

"It is, of course it is" said Sokka, nodding "I'll make sure my presence isn't noticed! I'll be silent as a grave!"

Azula raised an eyebrow at those words. Sokka had changed a little lately… he was far more submissive than ever before. But underneath, he was probably still the same proud, stubborn, dumb savage she had met in the South Pole so long ago. Perhaps she should probe him, discover if he was actually going to stand by his claims and behave himself properly…

"We'll see about that" Azula countered, her eyes finally leaving him as she headed into the dining room.

Sokka blinked a few times before frowning, worried. What was that supposed to mean? He was trying to comply with what she wished… but her response had been as if he had refused to obey her. What was going through the Princess's mind? It was the question he couldn't stop asking himself, because no matter how much he guessed, he probably would never find the right answer. Back in the day that had only made him more curious about Azula… now it made him wary. Her rage towards him grew with every second that passed by, and any of those seconds might be his last if he wasn't careful.

He followed Azula into the dining room, and he took his seat next to her, considering the only empty spots on the table were at either side of the Princess. A group of servants entered the room, bringing dishes common to the Fire Nation with them and setting them down on the table.

"I hope the food is to your liking, Princess" said Mayor Morishita, as Azula took the first bite off her Komodo Chicken.

Azula frowned at the taste of the food. Granted the cooks had attempted to keep the meal as loyal to the Fire Nation as possible, but the ingredients weren't as fresh as the ones in the mainland. The spicing wasn't as strong either, making the food considerably weak in comparison to what Azula was used to. But she hadn't come here to sample the food they served in the Colonies. Complaining openly about it would serve no useful purpose.

"It will suffice" she declared, proving the food wasn't too enjoyable for her, but she would eat it regardless.

She cringed when she heard slurping sounds beside her. She glared at Sokka as he dug into his plate, devouring his food with way more enthusiasm than he should have.

"Could you try to eat like a human being?" she spat at him, making Sokka freeze with a chunk of cabbage hanging on his lower lip.

He blinked before sucking the cabbage in, and he nodded shyly. Azula rolled her eyes and shook her head before trying to focus on her own food again… to no avail. Even though Sokka wasn't eating as wildly anymore, every single time he grinded his jaws he made more noise than Azula thought humanely possible.

"Eat quietly" she growled, her golden eyes gleaming with anger. Sokka grew pale. It seemed like every single thing he did would annoy her…

"So…" said Mayor Morishita, smiling awkwardly "What prompted you to tour with your gladiator, Princess?"

Azula frowned at the question, her attention leaving Sokka at last, to his relief.

"I didn't require a reason to do so, Mayor" Azula declared "He had already fought ten times, and I felt inclined to seek out more interesting challenges for him"

"I see" said Morishita, impressed "He must be quite strong for you to have reached that conclusion"

"Strong?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow. Sokka blinked a few times and looked at his sponsor sideways, worried "I never said he was strong. He isn't"

"He's not strong? Has he lost his matches?" asked Morishita, confused now.

"He has only lost one, but he has been at risk of losing several times as it is" said Azula.

"Then… if he's not strong, he must have some superb skills, right?" asked Kori, the Mayor's daughter. Azula's eyed her coldly, analyzing the young woman. Had she taken an interest in Sokka…?

"So you'd expect… but he doesn't. There's nothing special about this man. Not at all" said Azula, shrugging carelessly as she picked up some rice with her chopsticks and placed the grains in her mouth.

Sokka's eyebrows twitched at her words. He couldn't help but send a glare her way. Nothing special at all?! He was a great swordsman! An amazing strategist! None of fighters he had faced so far had been smarter than him! Yes, perhaps he didn't have that much physical strength, but that didn't mean he had no special skills!

"Then… why did you choose him as your gladiator?" asked Kori, surprised.

"Why, I chose him precisely because he had no talents" Azula replied, smirking "I challenged myself to see if I could turn a talentless, spineless, useless slave into a gladiator, and it's clear that I have succeeded. He has already climbed to the 320th position of the Superior Gladiator League's Ranking after only ten fights"

Sokka had been glaring at Azula, her unkind words feeling like nothing but bitterness to him. But he wouldn't say anything, he couldn't say anything. She was playing him, trying to test if he was truly going to stay silent as a grave. And even though he had a burning desire to stand up for himself, he wouldn't do it. The Captain had said he didn't think there was anything special about Sokka, but that Azula had thought so. So even if Azula was claiming otherwise right now, Sokka knew what she truly thought of him. And he knew what she was trying to pull here… so he would keep his mouth shut, no matter how badly he wanted to defend his honor as a fighter.

"Impressive…" said Morishita, amazed "The sponsor plays a very important part in the gladiator's performance, then!"

"People do underestimate the role of the sponsor" Azula muttered "We're not only around to bet and represent the fighters. It's difficult for some people to understand that, including other sponsors I have met in the past"

"Is that so?" said Morishita, chuckling "Well, you are proving them wrong, if that's the case. Being able to turn a man without talents into a capable fighter should teach everyone a lesson!"

"Indeed" said Azula, her eyes narrowing "It's what I strive for"

Sokka had been stuffing himself to hold back from claiming Azula's influence had only served to drive him crazy, but he stopped eating for a moment to take a good look at the Princess. The Captain had spoken about a spark that had appeared in Azula's eyes after meeting Sokka… and that spark was nowhere to be found in her golden eyes anymore. But Sokka could sense something else this time, something that didn't have anything to do with him directly…

He had never understood why Azula needed him to become the number one fighter in the ranking. He had stopped questioning her about it after a while, assuming he'd never get to know the answer and figuring it wouldn't be important for him to discover it anyway. Whatever she was to accomplish through sponsoring the top gladiator of the ranking was Azula's business, he only wanted to go back home. But it was different now. Now he wanted to discover what her true intentions were, to decipher the secrets she hid so well behind the death glare that could terrify a person to death. The way her eyes glinted upon Morishita's last sentence made Sokka stare at her with curiosity, his mind doing its best to unravel the reason why Azula had joined the Gladiator Business…

Azula noticed Sokka had stopped moving beside her. She shifted her eyes towards him, her eyebrows arching in confusion as he gaped at her. Sokka blinked a few times when he realized she was staring right back at him. He flashed her a toothy grin, trying to reassure her that he was just being his goofy self… Azula couldn't help but grimace in disgust at the sight of his smile, since shreds of food were attached to his teeth.

Sokka was utterly surprised by the horrified look on Azula's face. The Princess seemed to be about to hurl. _Why the hell did I ever feel anything for this idiot? _She asked herself before shaking her head and returning to her meal, somewhat thankful that his mouth hadn't been that filthy when they had kissed in the Grand Royal Dome's waiting room.

Sokka raised a confused eyebrow, not understanding what Azula's problem was now. He hadn't done anything bad! It was just a smile!

"We'll be watching your gladiator's fight in two days" said Morishita, bringing both the Princess and Sokka out of their wordless exchange "The Arena will be very crowded, most likely!"

"The Golden Eye hosts some really strong gladiators" said Kori, smiling at the Princess "There's the Millennium Dragon, the Torch, Phoenix Flames…"

"You seem quite knowledgeable about the Gladiator Business…" muttered Azula, surprised.

"Oh, well, I… I'm just a fan, I guess" said Kori, blushing a little.

"Kori has always enjoyed watching the gladiator fights" said Mrs. Morishita, smiling "She looks up to you, in fact. You're the first woman to ever sponsor a fighter in the Superior Gladiator League"

"Is that so?" said Azula, proud to discover the girl actually admired her. Her previous distaste towards her faded away slowly "Do you intend to become the second female sponsor in the Gladiator League?"

"I… well, I… I'd like to, but I don't have anyone I could sponsor…" Kori muttered, flustered

"To find a fighter to sponsor you have to look for one first" said Azula, smirking a little. She was back in her comfort zone, her sense of superiority helping her to forget the sight of Sokka's filthy teeth "I didn't have to search too much to find one. Just go to an Amateur Arena and pick the fighter that doesn't die. It's that simple"

"Is that what you did?" asked Kori "Really?"

"There's not much more to be done" replied Azula, matter-of-factly.

"But from what I heard, you can't find benders in the Amateur League…" said Kori, confused "Benders are sold directly to serve sponsors…"

"You want a bender?" asked Azula, surprised "This one is no bender. He hardly can bend over, let alone bend an element"

"Why would I want to…?!" Sokka started before catching himself. No speaking! He had to endure this!

"What was that?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him threateningly.

"W-why would I want to… bend an element?" he muttered, focusing on his nigh empty plate again and lowering his eyes submissively again.

Azula found his obedient behavior bothersome, but she couldn't help but smirk at his words.

"Indeed, why would you need a fighter who bends?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow and focusing on Kori again.

"W-well, I… I'm an earthbender, so I thought…"

"I'm a first-rate firebender, and I've got a non-bender with me" said Azula, lifting her chin.

"Yes, of course" said Kori, smiling "I just thought… I'd be able to understand an earthbender better. You know, matching skills and all…"

"If you want to match your gladiator, you should wear matching clothes" said Azula, taking a sip of the juice she had been provided with "For all you know, you might reach a better understanding with the fighter that you thought was the least like you"

"Right, that… that could happen" said Kori, smiling "If I ever get a gladiator… would it be okay for our fighters to face each other one day?"

Azula raised an eyebrow and looked away, thoughtful. Kori stared at her expectantly, biting her lower lip as she stared at the Princess with nervous eyes…

"If your fighter manages to be fifty slots within mine… I might take you on" said Azula, smirking at the girl "Make sure to get a strong gladiator. There's not much fun in a fight that ends in a knock-out within three minutes"

"Of course! I… I will!" said Kori, beaming.

Azula couldn't help herself but smirk at her enthusiasm. Bringing more women into the business was a very appealing idea to her. This girl had seemed somewhat interested in Sokka before, but now Azula realized her true interest was the Gladiator Business. The way she stared at her in awe was somewhat moving. Perhaps the girl had also wanted to fight against the unjustified male dominance in their world, but she had needed a push to try to stand up for her rights… and Azula was giving it to her now. It was the first time she found a girl eager to prove herself, just like she was. It didn't seem like there were many traits they shared other than that one, but Azula didn't need anything else. That alone was more than enough for her to truly wish to pit their gladiators against each other someday.

Azula's unexpected smiles made Sokka beam as well. The Princess seemed pleased for now, at least, and she was able to smirk again. Why hadn't he cherished those smiles so much before? Why hadn't he admired the expressions on her face lately? Her entire being seemed to light up whenever she smiled. Her beauty was completely unparalleled. He would do anything to make sure that smile wouldn't vanish from her face…

Dinner was wrapped up without a hitch. When Sokka ran out of food he had also ran out of ways to embarrass Azula with his lack of manners, so she had no reason to complain about him anymore. Kori guided the Princess and the savage to the second-story of the house, leading them to their rooms.

"The servants said your guards have already brought your luggage" Kori told Azula "It's waiting for you in your room"

"Good" said Azula. Even though she wasn't pleased about parting ways with her men, this visit to Yu Dao wasn't half bad so far. But this was only the first day. Only time would tell if the rest of the trip would proceed as smoothly as today.

Kori halted in the hallway and smiled at Azula, gesturing towards a door to her right.

"This is your room. Your gladiator's room is right in front of yours" said Kori

Azula's eyebrow twitched at that. Sokka, right behind the two girls, did nothing but stare at Azula warily. She had been doing her best to keep him as far away from her as possible… and now she had no choice but to sleep in a room right across his. Sokka wouldn't be surprised at all if she told Kori to forget about giving him a room, that sending him to sleep with the wooly pigs would be enough for a savage like him…

"Well… I guess that's it for tonight" said Kori, still beaming "I hope you sleep well. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me!"

"I will" said Azula, nodding "Thank you"

"Y-you're welcome" said Kori, her smile growing broader after being thanked by the Fire Nation Princess herself.

Kori excused herself with a bow in Azula's direction, and she walked down to the first floor again. Sokka kept a wary eye on Azula, who waited until the girl vanished from sight before turning towards Sokka again, glaring at him fiercely.

"It seems I forgot to tell you not to make a fool of yourself. I was quite naïve to think you'd do that without being told"

"If you're talking about how I ate…" Sokka started, grimacing "I'm sorry! I don't eat around high-class people often! I just ate and…!"

"And you were as embarrassing as possible!" Azula finished for him "You're still embarrassing now! Go rinse that damned mouth of yours!"

"Rinse…?" asked Sokka, confused "What? Why?"

"You have food stuck in your teeth, at plain sight! It's disgusting!" said Azula, grimacing.

"W-what?" said Sokka, confused. He ran his tongue over his teeth, noticing only now the amounts of food scraps between his teeth "O-oh… is that why you looked like you'd be sick?"

"Do you really have to ask?" Azula growled, her nostrils flaring with anger. Sokka gulped and covered his mouth with his hand, trying to avoid having her see his teeth again.

"I'm sorry…" he mumbled, staring at her in mild panic, and she threw her hands to her sides in exasperation.

"You're sorry, you're sorry… is that all you know how to say nowadays?" she asked, staring at him in irritation "Stop being sorry! Stop having reasons to say you're sorry!"

"I… I'm trying my best, you know?" he said, staring at her in misery.

The way his eyes fell made Azula stop in the middle of her scolding. There was something off about him… that urge to try and do things he thought would please her most, that constant apologizing when he normally would just stick to his side of the story and defend himself even if there was nothing worth defending…

"Well…" she muttered "Almost isn't good enough. Trying isn't going to get you anywhere unless you succeed"

"If you don't start by trying, there's no chance you'll succeed" Sokka declared, frowning.

Azula couldn't hold back a small snort. Well, there was his combative side again. It wasn't as far gone as she thought it might be.

"I'm sorry for being an uncivilized savage" said Sokka, still covering his mouth "And I'll try not to do anything that stupid again. Are we good now?"

"I'll be the one to decide that" Azula muttered "Just… keep in mind you're not the reason why we're here in the first place. I have told you time over and time again that you're just acting as my smokescreen"

"Is that why you're upset? Because your guards aren't here and you can't direct them properly with whatever it is you're doing?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not upset" Azula grunted, her words coming off as quite a contradiction "And even if I were, it's not something you should be looking into. You're here to fight as a gladiator, and that's the one thing you should focus on. Got it?"

"Got it" Sokka muttered, sighing.

"I'm not going to keep watch on you all day long, so try and keep to your best behavior" said Azula "And don't even think about trying anything weird by crossing over the hall in the middle of the night or something!"

"W-why would I do that?!" said Sokka, blushing a little "I'm not that kind of guy!"

"Excuse my honesty, but I have a hard time telling what kind of guy you are nowadays" said Azula, narrowing her eyes "Go get some rest… but get that mouth of yours cleaned up first, will you?"

"Sure…" said Sokka, disheartened, but nodding anyways.

Azula entered her room without another word, closing the door behind her with more delicacy than Sokka expected.

"Night…" he muttered, sighing before turning around and pacing down the hall, looking for a bathroom.

He cleaned his mouth thoroughly, picking at his teeth to make sure they would be perfectly clean again. After he was done he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, surprised at how different he looked. He didn't remember the last time he had seen his own face. He looked strong, but only on the outside. He looked into his own eyes, finding an emptiness within them that he couldn't explain.

His interactions with Azula had definitely not gone as well as he would have wished they had, but it hadn't been all that bad. The Captain's words kept ringing in his head, telling him he couldn't give up as it was. The fact that Azula had even bothered to look at him was some progress already, wasn't it? Maybe he kept messing things up by making a fool of himself, but he'd do his best not to do that anymore. He could handle this. There was some hope left for his strained relationship with the Princess.

* * *

"W-where is A… the Princess?" Sokka asked, staring into the dining room with wide eyes.

The Morishita family was finishing their breakfast when Sokka had appeared. He had woken up only a moment ago, hoping to improve his table manners during breakfast so that Azula wouldn't be disgusted with him… but she was nowhere in sight.

"Princess Azula already had her breakfast" said Mrs. Morishita "One of her guards came to find her once she was done, and she left the house with him. She said she would return for dinner"

"Oh… Okay" said Sokka, nodding even though he felt somewhat disheartened "Do you know where she went?"

"If the guards are staying over at Fon's inn, she might be over there" said Mayor Morishita "The inn is right down this street, you turn right and you'll find a building with a big sign that says 'Fon's Inn'"

"Uh… thanks" said Sokka, smiling gratefully as he took his seat and began eating carefully.

He hated having to think of how he ate. Digging into the food right away was something he enjoyed thoroughly. But for Azula's sake, he'd have to hold back his urges and do his best to pretend to have manners even when he had none, so he sat properly and did everything he could not to make too much noise while eating.

Even when the Mayor had given him the information pertaining where Azula was, Sokka didn't go to the inn to find her. He went to the house's backyard and spent the whole day practicing his sword stances. He felt the urge to go find Azula, but he knew better than to jump uninvited into her meetings with her guards. She clearly didn't need him to be around while she dealt with her mission, and he wanted to do his best not to be a burden to her. Unless she asked for his help directly, Sokka would stay out of her way.

But that trend of thoughts wouldn't work so well on the next day.

"She's gone again?" asked Sokka at breakfast, aghast "B-but…"

"Your fight is in a few hours, isn't it?" asked Kori, frowning "Maybe you should go look for her… what is it with her and her guards anyway?"

"I have no idea" said Sokka, truthfully "But she'll have to leave that for later. I've got a fight to deal with, and she's supposed to be there too. So… where was that inn again?"

After getting the instructions, Sokka went upstairs and dressed up in his armor before heading out to look for Azula. It didn't take him too long to find the inn, seeing how the Palanquin was sitting right outside the building, with some curious passersby that stared at it in awe.

The innkeeper was cleaning up the front of his establishment, a nervous smile on his face. Sokka raised an eyebrow and approached him.

"The Princess is in here, right?" he asked.

"Oh, yes" said Fon, smiling at him "She told me she wanted nobody to disturb her meeting with the guards, though… including me. I've been sweeping the front door for two days now"

Sokka blinked in surprise a few times before nodding, patting the man on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, she won't do you any harm if I go inside" _She'd rather harm me instead_, he thought.

"Good to know" said the innkeeper "I'll just keep on sweeping, then…"

Sokka entered the inn, closing the door behind him as he did. The inside of the building was quite dark, so it took him a moment for his eyes to grow accustomed to his surroundings… and before he did, a spear nearly struck him between the eyes.

"HEY!" he squealed, his eyes fixated on the weapon.

A guard, clad in his usual red robes, dropped the spear as soon as he realized who Sokka was.

"Oh, it's just you" he said.

"Y-you almost killed me!" Sokka exclaimed, terrified.

"The Princess told me to slay any trespassers" said the guard, shrugging "But I figure you're not one I should kill"

"I shouldn't be… though I'm sure she wouldn't have minded that much if you had" said Sokka, shaking his head as he looked inside the inn's vestibule.

The vestibule happened to be a tavern as well, judging by the looks of it… but nobody was eating or drinking in it. Azula's men sat before the tables, some dressed in their red uniforms and some wearing such casual clothes Sokka had a hard time realizing they were just her guards… expect for one on the corner table in the establishment. His black hair and golden eyes gave him away as Azula's Captain, and he happened to be sitting right across the Princess, both focused on a map, from what Sokka could see. He made his way towards them almost unwillingly, afraid of how Azula would react if he were to interrupt an important conversation.

The Captain lifted his eyes towards him and raised an eyebrow, a gesture Azula didn't miss. She turned around and caught sight of Sokka, a confused frown on her face.

"What are you doing here? And why are you…?" she started, staring at his getup before realizing there was one explanation to his sudden appearance and his outfit "Oh… oh, darn. I forgot completely about… damn it all"

"Princess…" said the Captain, staring at her worriedly.

"Captain, I'm afraid I have a gladiator fight to deal with right now" said Azula, sighing in irritation "You already know your orders. You and your men know what to do, so get it done as quickly as possible"

"We will, Princess" said the Captain, as they both stood up from the table.

"Remember to return here for further orders as soon as you find a good lead on the Rhinos" Azula commanded.

"We will, Princess" the Captain repeated, nodding.

"Very well, then… let's get this over with" said Azula, turning around towards Sokka again and leading the way out of the inn.

Sokka looked at the Captain apologetically, but the man didn't pay him much attention, busy as he was readying himself for whatever journey he had ahead of himself. Sokka didn't quite understand why it seemed like only half of Azula's guards were wearing their uniforms, but he figured he could ask later. He treaded after Azula, who seemed quite displeased as she walked towards the exit, but not before staring at the table in which her palanquin bearers were sitting.

"Well? Will you get moving?" she asked angrily, and they jumped out of their seats, scrambling outside as quickly as their legs could allow them.

Azula rolled her eyes as they left the building, staring at the Palanquin as she waited for the bearers to be ready. Sokka stood behind her, taking note of her bad mood right away.

"So… what's going on?" he muttered, earning himself a sideways glare from the Princess.

"Something important. Very important. And I shouldn't miss out on it, but I have to take you to your fight. Yes, you're a useful smokescreen… but this is nothing but a waste of time for me"

Sokka's eyes fell again as he stared at Azula. She climbed on the palanquin, not bothering to give him another look before doing so. Sokka followed the vehicle slowly, with his head tilted down as he held his helmet tightly in his hand, his every hope having been shattered by Azula's words. Progress? He had been kidding himself. There had been no progress. She still hated him. She still wanted nothing to do with him.


	34. Chapter 34

She was paralyzed as she stared into the now empty sand pit. Her nails were clawing into the velvet that covered her chair's armrests; they had been from the moment Sokka's strength had started to falter in the middle of a fight he should have been able to win with ease.

He had fought against Kyoshi's Heir, 140th in the Ranking, and he had triumphed even if not by a wide margin. He had beaten the Savage Hook even when the combat had almost cost him his life. And now, against a female non-bender who stood 283rd in the Ranking, his performance had been nothing short of mediocre. Why?

His weapons were the same, he had recovered most of his physical strength by now… so why? Why had he struggled so much against the Butterfly Lady? She should have been easy to defeat! Her skill with her two short dao swords wasn't that remarkable! But Sokka's usual intelligent fighting style had been nowhere in sight. His strategies to tire out his opponent, his ability to use his weapons in the most unexpected of ways… they had been gone. And Azula simply couldn't understand why.

What was it with him? She had told him time over and time again to focus on his duty as a gladiator, to keep his mind in the game… had he ignored her? Was that it? No… she could tell that wasn't it. He had been fighting to his current best… but it was nothing on the best he had pulled off in the past. What was going on with him?

She looked at the table that had separated her seat from the one of the Butterfly Lady's sponsor. The man had left a bag of money on it before leaving her alone in the sponsor's balcony, the money she had earned thanks to Sokka's victory. But it didn't feel as if she had won. The judges delivered their verdict, but the thrill of triumph hadn't filled her upon knowing her fighter had won. She wasn't angry at Sokka this time, as she had been during his fight with the Red-Striped Hornet… this time she was confused. She was worried. Because on his second fight in the Superior Gladiator League, Sokka had foolishly decided to quit fighting… this time he had fought to his utmost, and it hadn't been anywhere near good enough. He wasn't fighting at all like the gladiator she had come to know so well.

Watching him fight used to be fun and interesting, at least, before Kyoshi's Heir had come along. The smart way in which he played his enemies was amusing. He would turn them against themselves, use their energy against them, laugh his way into victory… this time he had snarled angrily as he swung his black sword at his opponent, who had stopped his attacks time over and time again. He had provided her with openings he normally wouldn't have allowed. He hadn't performed feints. He hadn't even used his smoke bombs to disorientate the Butterfly Lady. He had won because he had managed to disarm her a couple of times, and because he had left a deep wound on her right arm. Sokka had sustained an injury to his cheek as well, but since he hadn't lost any of his weapons, he had gotten away with the victory after twenty minutes of fighting.

But Azula could see he wasn't proud of his performance either. He was disappointed with himself. He had expected to do better in this fight, especially since it had been against a non-bender. Why, then…?

She rubbed the center of her forehead with her slim fingers. She knew why. Of course she did. She had already been told about this before…

"_What makes him strong, what pulls him through this world after all the pain and suffering he's been through, is that he's still himself. Once you take that from him, he won't be the gladiator you've come to appreciate. Don't shut him down, Princess. Don't try to convert him into something he's not"_

Azula snarled as she remembered Piandao's words. How had the man known it would come to this…?

And what was she supposed to do, then? It seemed she had turned Sokka into a different man without even realizing it. How could she get him back to what he used to be?

She sighed, thinking of how he had been behaving these past few weeks. Submissive, guilty, shameful… that wasn't Sokka. It wasn't the fool she had hired as her gladiator. The one who had annoyed her to no end with his clumsy ways, with his ridiculous pride… the one she had come to trust and accept into her life. The one who had become much more than just a slave. The one who kept making witty remarks, who flirted with her just to see how far was she willing to go before rolling her eyes and calling him an idiot. The one she had come to admire for his unwavering strength, the one who had managed to change her view on the world…

The only man who had ever seen her as an equal.

She cringed as she reflected on what Sokka had meant to her before. On what he still meant to her. That savage had given birth to feelings Azula had thought she would never experience… and not all of them had been good. The words he had uttered that night still stung her, as if she had sustained a third-degree burn to her heart. She had decided, for the sake of healing those injuries, to withdraw herself from the confusing relationship that had been born between them. And she had remained aloof and cold towards him, in fear of what would happen if she let him into his life again.

But it seemed her protective measures weren't helping anymore. She wasn't happier as it was, and her determination to push him away had been, most likely, what had brought forth his current attitude. The attitude she wanted to wipe away.

She wouldn't be trying to get him back to who he was out of any lingering feelings towards him, she had to convince herself of that. Once more, it was a move based on convenience. She would need him to do his best in the Arena, and to achieve that she had to bring him back to the man he used to be. That was all.

Yet… why was he acting like this? Why had he morphed into the submissive slave he was right now? Where had that faithful obedience come from? Was it his way to atone for his mistakes? She frowned at that thought. He wasn't making up for what he'd done by behaving like this. He was only infuriating her further. But he didn't know better, did he? He was making blind guesses in attempts to please her and get her to forget about what had gone down between them. Azula sighed, wondering what he repented about the most. He had apologized for his words and actions, but… did he regret kissing her back, by any chance?

She hated to realize she actually didn't regret having kissed him. The sensations she had felt in that moment were unparalleled. It had been almost as exhilarant as the moment when she bent blue flames for the very first time. Having kissed Sokka was definitely the sole highlight of their entire situation. Yet the act in itself had been what had brought forth their downfall. If she hadn't kissed him, she wouldn't be as angry as she was right now. If she hadn't kissed him he wouldn't be faltering in battle. If she had been able to give Sokka up to that face-painted woman, none of this would be happening now.

At what point in time had her life turned into a full-fledged contradiction? Had it been when she had taken him as her gladiator? She suspected as much. Everything had started because of Sokka. He was the one who had caused her downfall… but why was it that he had also made her happier than she had ever been before? There had been good times between them… she had never laughed with anyone in the way she had with Sokka. She had never felt the urge to comfort someone as she had comforted him when Piandao had vanished. The despair that took over her when the Blind Bandit almost killed him had been beyond anything she had ever felt for anyone. All she knew at that point was that she didn't want him to die. She couldn't let him die. And even now she didn't want him dead. Even if she acted as if she despised everything about him… she actually didn't.

It wasn't the first time she had taken her feelings of sadness and turned them into anger. She could put up with rage, she could use rage to her advantage. Sadness would only bring her down, it would weigh on her until she couldn't do anything but curl on her bed, weeping uncontrollably. Allowing anger to take over her senses hadn't been the wisest of moves, but it had helped her get over Sokka's words.

Or had it? She was starting to doubt how efficient a move had it been to turn her sorrow into fury. Nothing had been solved through this. As a matter of fact, it seemed it had only helped to make everything worse. As he had claimed the day before, Sokka was trying… and what was he trying to do anyway? Was he trying to get over her as well? Or was he trying to entice her into being smitten with him once again? What exactly did he think he would achieve by behaving in the way he was behaving?

Azula sighed. He hadn't thought this through at all. And for that matter, neither had she. How could they sort out this mess? How could they mend what had been broken? She had no illusions about regaining the relationship they had enjoyed before, it seemed downright impossible for her to trust him so blindly again. But, at the very least, she longed for her not to feel such grief whenever she was around him, for him to go back to the brash savage he had always been…

* * *

Sokka's cheek burned as the blood seeped out of the wound. He had been lucky to only sustain such a superficial injury… but then again, he probably should have sustained none. The Butterfly Lady hadn't been all that strong, beating her should have been far easier. But for some reason, his intuition had failed him time over and time again. Why? What was the matter with him today?

He sighed as he treaded through the Golden Eye's hallways, headed towards the waiting rooms for his medical check. Yu Dao's Arena kept true to its name. The sand pit was shaped as an eye, and the sand was of a golden shade Sokka had never seen before. The accommodations were nowhere as amazing as the ones in the Grand Royal Dome, the hallway that led to the stand-by rooms was rudimentary, built of stone just like the ones back in the Ember Crater. The Golden Eye couldn't house as many people as the Grand Royal Dome, but all in all, it was cozy, in a way. The grandeur would make the Capital's Arena daunting, Sokka couldn't quite feel comfortable there just as he couldn't feel comfortable in the Royal Palace. He wasn't one for luxurious places.

He reached the first room in the hallway on the Arena's second floor, and he entered it without a second thought. But he froze on the threshold as he caught sight of a huge, burly figure sitting in the waiting room.

The man within the room had his massive chest in bare sight, and he bore so many scars Sokka wondered how he had managed to keep his body together. The man's head was covered with uneven chunks of light-brown locks, and his chin was clad with a beard that matched the color of his hair. His skin was about as dark as Sokka's, although it was obvious the man's body had been dyed that color after days on end fighting under the merciless sunlight.

He lifted his small and dark eyes towards Sokka when he heard him walk in. They stared at each other for a moment during which the stranger's right eyebrow moved higher and higher on his forehead.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, with a voice much more gentle than Sokka had expected.

"Oh, I… I came for the medical check" said Sokka, gulping "I didn't notice this room was occupied. Excuse me…"

"Huh?" said the man, confused, stopping Sokka as he was about to leave "Medical check? The hell are you talking about, kid?"

Sokka found it odd that the man would call him a kid. He couldn't have been over fifteen years older than him.

"Medical checks… The Princess declared there would be mandatory medical checks after each gladiator fight" Sokka explained, assuming the man didn't know about this because he had spent some time away from the sand pit.

"Huh, so you're a Capital boy" said the other gladiator, apparently amused. He gave Sokka a smile before shaking his head "Sorry to say you'll have to fix that wound on your face on your own, kid. The only Arena with the medical attention is the Grand Royal Dome"

"B-but I thought…" said Sokka, confused.

"Yeah, the Princess wanted to have physicians everywhere, but it seems even the Fire Lord's daughter can't get everything in life" said the other man, shrugging.

"Seems like it…" muttered Sokka, eyeing him warily. The man obviously didn't know who his sponsor was…

"So, who are you?" asked the man, beaming "First time I see you around here. And believe me, I've seen lots of people around here. Been in the business since this whole madness started out, so you're definitely a new face"

"My name is Sokka… the Blue Wolf" said Sokka, eyeing the stranger while wondering if the man would recognize him now… but he didn't have such luck.

"The Blue Wolf?" repeated the man, scratching his head "Nope, never heard of you"

"Well, I am new" said Sokka, smiling sideways "I've only fought eleven times in the Superior League…"

"Ah, is that so?" asked the man, eagerly "How many fights have you won?"

"Ten, as it is" said Sokka.

"Well, well! Sounds like you ought to be promising!" said the man, beaming "I might be fighting you before either of us know it!"

"And… who are you?" asked Sokka "Sorry, but I hardly know anyone…"

"Ah, don't mind, you're a gladiator. The ones who should know gladiators are the sponsors, not the gladiators. Gladiators are out there to fight gladiators, not to know them!"

"Right" said Sokka, raising an eyebrow "In any case…"

"Oh, yes. You'll find me in the ranking as the Millennium Dragon" said the gladiator, smiling at Sokka "I'm a pretty nice guy all around! Well, so long as we don't go against the other in the sand, that is…"

"How many fights have you won?" asked Sokka, curious.

"Uh… well…" said the Millennium Dragon, frowning and lifting his hands as he began counting with his fingers "Been against Combustion Dude thirty times… uh… Light Boy about… fifteen, was it? Oh, damn, I don't remember anymore! After you cross the line of twenty fights everything becomes a blur"

"Really?" asked Sokka, frowning "I… I fought in the Amateur League before coming here, and I fought more than twenty times…"

"How many times did you fight, then?"

"W-well… over twenty" said Sokka, gulping as he realized he didn't know the exact number "But I haven't forgotten the people I fought"

"Neither have I, kid" said the Millennium Dragon "I just don't have enough fingers to count them all!"

"Oh… alright, then" said Sokka, smiling uncomfortably. This man was quite odd, wasn't he?

"So, you won out there today?" asked the Millenium Dragon.

"Yeah, though I didn't do as well as I expected" muttered Sokka, downcast.

"Huh… well, to the crowd a win is a win! And there's always going to be another fight later, unless you get yourself killed. And either way, it won't matter if you won or lost the day before. Once you're dead, the spirits won't be looking at your place in the ranking! And if you don't die, there will always be another day to fight and win again!"

Sokka was surprised by the wisdom in the man's straightforward words. It was the exact kind of wisdom he had needed to think about to get a hold of himself after today's fight.

"So, where are you from, kid?" asked the Dragon, smiling.

"The South Pole… don't you have a fight to attend to?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, my sponsor will get me when it's time, I'm in no hurry. You in a hurry?"

"I might be" said Sokka, frowning. Azula was probably waiting for him, wasn't she?

"Ah, such a busy kid!" said the Dragon, chuckling "You should stay and watch my show!"

"I don't think that'll be an option… though I've got to say I'd like to watch that" said Sokka, eyeing the Dragon with curiosity. His name gave him away as a firebender, and his complexion told Sokka he would be a tough rival for anyone who went against him.

"Well, you ain't missing out on anything fancy either way" said the Millennium Dragon "Not like gladiator fights have anything fancy about them, mind you. Tell your sponsor to look me up when you become a tougher cookie!"

"Cookie…?" repeated Sokka staring at the Millennium Dragon with confused eyes "A-alright, I'll make sure to do that"

"Good luck on your next fights, kid!" said the Dragon, beaming at him "See you around!"

"See you" said Sokka, taking a last glance towards the Dragon before turning on his heels and leaving the room. That had been an odd encounter… but the gladiator had earned his curiosity. He seemed a good man. How high would he be in the ranking…?

Sokka walked through the hallways while wiping away the blood on his cheek with the bandages that were wrapped around his forearm. He would always wear those bandages back when he had been in the Southern Water Tribe, and out of all the traditions he had relinquished, that was one he didn't plan on leaving behind, not now, not ever.

He found the staircase that led down to the Golden Eye's small vestibule, but he didn't spot Azula anywhere around. Had she left without him? A sinking feeling appeared in his stomach. She had claimed this would be an utter waste of time, that she would have better things to do… and he had proved her right. His performance had been so lacking he was embarrassed just to think about it. It came as no surprise that she would have left before him…

"Of course…" he muttered, sighing as his hands balled into fists.

"Talking to yourself now…?" said a very familiar voice behind him, startling Sokka.

He turned around in haste, his eyes open wide as he looked at the Princess, who was staring at him intently, her arms folded over her chest.

Seeing each other again right now only served to deepen the emotional turmoil they were both suffering from. After having acknowledged her fury was nothing but mislead sorrow, Azula's chest was beginning to ache again just by thinking about him. What was she supposed to do? What was she supposed to say? How could she fix him up so he could go back to being the goof he had always been…?

"I… uh… just a bit" said Sokka, looking down at the floor intently.

There it was again. Submissiveness. The Sokka she knew would have never admitted to talking to himself, and if he had, he would have claimed everyone else did it too. Azula's nails dug into her arm as she studied him intently.

"You didn't get that treated? Did you think you'd look manlier with blood trickling down your face?" asked Azula, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as she looked at his wound.

"Ah, n-no, I wanted to get it fixed but I couldn't" said Sokka, shaking his head "Apparently there's no medical attention anywhere but in the Capital…"

"What?" asked Azula, surprised and displeased.

"Hey, that's what that weird dude told me, I don't really know" said Sokka, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What weird dude?"

"Uh… the Millennium Dragon" said Sokka, nodding "Ever heard of him?"

Azula frowned. The name sounded quite familiar… too familiar, to be honest. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to recall what it reminded her of…

"I… I might have seen him fight once" said Azula "I can't remember correctly, but I think I might have"

"Really?" asked Sokka, surprised "I thought you had nothing to do with the Gladiator Business before I came along"

"I didn't" Azula admitted "But I had been to the Grand Royal Dome once before, on the day the Superior Gladiator League was inaugurated. Combustion Man won that fight… and I get the feeling his opponent's name was the Millennium Dragon"

"Combustion Man?" asked Sokka, confused.

"I never told you about him, did I?" muttered Azula, frowning "He's the top fighter in the Superior Gladiator League. A firebender of outstanding potential, with a sponsor befitting his murderous ways…"

"Who's the sponsor?" asked Sokka, curious.

"Nobody you'd know, there's not much point in telling you" said Azula, shaking her head "Leave dealing with sponsors to the sponsors"

Sokka couldn't help but chuckle upon realizing her words were somewhat similar to what the Dragon had said earlier. Azula raised an eyebrow and glared at him, annoyed.

"What's so funny?"

"N-nothing…" said Sokka, freezing at her glare "Don't mind me…"

Azula didn't stop glaring at him as she began heading down the stairs, still irritated. What was that fool laughing at?! But… he had been laughing. When was the last time she saw him laughing? Did it mean… some progress? Had their conversation been of some use, then? She hadn't pushed him away harshly, hadn't been cruel… maybe it was helpful indeed. Maybe they were on the right track at last…?

She stopped when she got to the bottom of the staircase, and she turned around to look at Sokka, who was walking behind her with his hands tucked in his pockets. Sokka seemed puzzled at her sudden halt, but he simply followed her lead and stopped a few steps before reaching the main deck of the building.

"You… didn't fight that well today" Azula muttered, making Sokka's heart sink as he grimaced, expecting a reprimand of some sort… "But you won. It was a weird fight, though. We both know that wasn't the full extent of your abilities"

"Y-yeah, it wasn't" said Sokka, nodding clumsily as he scratched his neck "I don't know what got into me…"

"Well, whatever it was, try to get it out of you before we make it to Omashu" said Azula "Your next opponents… they won't be as easy to beat as this girl was. They're earthbenders"

"W-wait, what?!" said Sokka, surprised "Earthbenders?"

"All of them" admitted Azula "I didn't mean it to be that way, but I could only reach the sponsor of one non-bender, and it was the one you just fought against. Your next rivals aren't too high in the ranking, so I hope they won't be that hard to beat. But you'll need to have your every sense in the upcoming battles. Your experience with earthbenders…"

"Is terrible" finished Sokka, gulping.

"So it will be up to you to change that or to let that define you" said Azula, looking straight into his eyes.

Sokka stared back at her, noticing the concern she was showing him. She was worried about him? Was she really…? He had worried her. Instead of reassuring her, of being helpful, he was worrying her! Why couldn't he do anything right these days?! He nodded promptly, looking at her with determination.

"I'll do my best. I promise"

Azula's chest ached at those words. Her experience with promises wasn't good. Hearing him promise one thing or another would do anything but reassure her… not that he could know that, of course. Yet Sokka didn't miss that glint in her eyes, a glint that betrayed the fact that she didn't quite believe him.

"You'd better…" she whispered, before turning around again and starting down the vestibule, straight towards the doors.

Sokka followed her, concern written all over his face. Yet there was a side of him rejoicing, breaking into an all-out celebration… because she had talked to him willingly, because she hadn't threatened him… because even though his performance hadn't been his best, she wasn't completely disappointed in him for the first time in ages.

Azula was set on climbing on her palanquin right away, but she refrained from doing so when she caught sight of a Royal Guard sprinting down the street in her direction. She frowned and stepped away from the vehicle, leaving the bearers crouched in place.

"Princess! P-Princess!" exclaimed the man, stumbling as he finally reached them.

Sokka raised an eyebrow as he watched him run. It was the first time he saw a Royal Guard acting in an inappropriate way for his rank. The man must have sprinted from the inn all the way to the Arena, and he looked quite sloppy as he flung his arms back and forth with every step he took.

"What's the matter?" asked the Princess, her eyes becoming fierce as her mind began concocting several explanations as to why the guard had showed up as he had.

"T-the… the scouts have returned…" said the guard, gasping for breath as he leaned down on his knees.

"So soon?!" asked Azula, astonished. She had expected the Captain to return in two days, at least…

"Yes… they have leads on the Rhinos!" the guard finished "Promising leads! The Captain will… explain when you get to the inn…"

"Good. Good…" said Azula, smirking slightly as she thought about what this meant for her mission. Obtaining good results so early on was a good sign. She turned to the bearers as she climbed aboard the palanquin "Get moving! Take me to the inn right away!"

The men lifted the heavy cabin in one go before moving at quick pace towards the inn. The guard was still gasping for breath right in front of the Arena's steps, and Sokka patted him on the back clumsily.

"Oh, damn… I can't breathe…" the man gasped, taking off his mask to reveal his head drenched in sweat.

"I don't know how anyone could breathe in that thing" said Sokka, staring at him worriedly as the palanquin disappeared after taking a turn in a nearby corner "Did you run all the way here?"

"Of course I… I did… I had to tell the Princess…" the man panted, his hand seizing Sokka's shoulder as he used the gladiator to support his weight.

"Uh… then how are you going to catch up with them?" asked Sokka, the man's knuckles turning white as he coughed, still struggling to get his lungs to work properly again.

"I… Oh, she's… gone already?" said the man, lifting his head to look for Azula's palanquin.

"She left just a second ago… didn't you hear what she said?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't… I was… glad I'd done my job… and I didn't hear a thing" muttered the man, letting go of Sokka "G-got to catch up with her, then…"

Sokka was about to tell the man against taking off so soon, but he didn't have to say a word. The guard only took one step forward before his legs gave way and he collapsed on the floor, shaking.

"Man! Are you crazy?! You can't go anywhere like this!" Sokka shouted, leaning down beside him and struggling to pick him up.

"Must… reach… the Princess…" said the man. His bulging eyes scared Sokka a little. There was no way this guard was making it anywhere in his current status.

"Just how fast did you run?" asked Sokka, confused "I don't get how a Royal Guard can be worn out so badly… well, never mind. Come here"

The guard didn't seem to notice Sokka had placed one of his arms around his waist, sliding his head under the guard's arm to lift him off the floor. The man wasn't conscious enough to realize he was being carried away by the gladiator, he probably didn't even realize he was moving at all. He kept mumbling nonsense as Sokka dragged him away, and the gladiator was still wondering why he had wound up in such a terrible shape only because of running. Was it the outfit's fault? It probably was…

It took Sokka a little longer than he expected to bring the man to the inn. He entered the building to find all of Azula's guards assembled in the vestibule. The men looked quite shaken up, both the ones dressed in uniforms and the ones wearing casual clothes. And one of the men wearing casual clothes stood in the center of the room, staring at the Princess as he spoke about something Sokka didn't understand.

"… the town was ravaged only three days ago. They even killed people this time around. It wasn't the plundering they usually perform, it went far beyond that"

"Did you find out who the casualties were?" asked Azula, her hands balling into fists.

"Townsfolk, people who simply stood on their way and thus they tore them down. There were seven victims: four women, two men and a child. And… one of the women was an actual Fire Nation citizen"

Azula snarled in irritation, her body shaking as she grew angrier upon this knowledge. So the Rhinos wouldn't even distinguish between Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom people anymore, would they?

"You said they headed south after striking down on that town" said Azula, nodding "Where to, exactly?"

"We don't know for certain as it is, Princess" muttered the Captain "But we have two likely options as to where they might have gone to. The first is the Misty Palms Oasis, the most common gathering spot for criminals and outlaws"

"The patterns of their other attacks would suggest they'd go there… After ravaging a few towns, they'd always head to the Si Won Desert" muttered Azula, frowning.

"Indeed. The other possibility is Ba Sing Se" said the Captain "According to some information we obtained recently, they fled to the city once before to avoid trouble with a Fire Nation battalion"

"So… if they knew we were chasing them, they would go to Ba Sing Se" Azula muttered, frowning "But as long as they don't know, they're likely to go to the Oasis"

"Exactly" said the Captain, nodding.

Azula frowned as she began pondering her possibilities. The Captain stared at her for a moment, waiting for her to make the call regarding what would happen from here on. Sokka stared at them curiously, having taken a seat at one of the tables, as allured as ever by Azula's secretive behavior.

"These are good news… and bad news as well" muttered Azula, shaking her head as she paced through the room "Their raids on villages… the Fire Nation will have to make amends for the damage they've caused. And not just this time, but on every town and village the Rough Rhinos have attacked while defying the Fire Lord's commands. We have to put a stop to this immediately. We're breaking formation from here on, Captain"

"W-what?" said the man, his eyes widening in surprise "But… I thought we'd agreed to divide our forces after arriving to Omashu!"

"Well, I've decided differently now" Azula grunted.

"But we would be taking the exact same route, Princess! To reach the Oasis we would have to pass by Omashu and the desert…!"

"I understand you find it more practical to stay with the Royal Procession until we make it there" said Azula, glaring at him "But in case you've forgotten, time is priceless in this mission. While you're standing here, talking back to me, the Rhinos might be attacking another town already. For the sake of the people of the Fire Nation, I need you to find them and intercept them as soon as you have a chance to do it. And that chance isn't going to come on its own. You are going to take off right away, Captain. And that's an order"

The Captain stared at her, helpless. It was an order, of course, and he couldn't oppose anything Azula said… but he was somewhat reluctant to leave Azula only three days upon their arrival to the Fire Nation Colonies. All along he had felt unwilling to leave her side, only agreeing to do so because going against Azula was never an option for a man like him. And now he had no choice but to leave to chase down the Rhinos…

The vestibule had fallen silent upon Azula's exchange with the Captain. Everyone was gazing at them, to Azula's mild discomfort.

"And that also goes to those who'll be joining the Captain" she grunted "Go get ready!"

The men in casual clothes jumped and scrambled upstairs, heading to their rooms in a hurry. The Captain tilted down his head towards Azula, bowing down towards her.

"It will be done, Princess" he muttered, before turning to follow the others to the higher stories of the building, to gather his belongings.

Azula glared at him as he walked away, knowing he was complying unwillingly. She rolled her eyes at his attitude before turning around to find quite a surprise sitting on a nearby table, patting a nigh unconscious Royal Guard on the back as he gazed at her sideways.

"W-what…? Since when have you been there?" she asked Sokka, utterly confused.

"A couple of minutes" said Sokka, smiling weakly.

"Why didn't you just return to the Morishita's house?" asked Azula, frowning.

"I thought I should…" muttered Sokka "But this guy collapsed on me after you left, so I figured I'd bring him back!"

"How thoughtful of you" Azula spat out sarcastically, forgetting she was trying to fix her situation with Sokka just as much as she was trying to catch the Rough Rhinos.

"Uh… t-thanks…?" said Sokka, gulping as he eyed her warily.

Azula's eyebrow twitched at his submissiveness again. Oh, she wanted to punch him straight in the face so badly… she would do it, if she thought he would try to hit her back. But she knew he was more likely to crawl in the floor instead, claiming he deserved to get hit.

"So… what were you talking about with the Captain?" Sokka asked, trying his luck.

"What…?" Azula muttered, frowning. She hadn't told him about her mission yet, had she…? Was it a good idea to do it now? It might serve to make the fool a little more comfortable… which could make him behave as he usually did, hence helping her feel at ease as well. But there were too many things claiming her attention right now. Telling Sokka wasn't a priority "I… I have no time to give out lengthy explanations right now. I have other things to deal with"

"Oh… right" muttered Sokka, nodding "Important things, I bet! Well, that's okay… I can live with this"

Azula stared at him in distaste, still unable to recognize the man she had known before behind those layers of passivity. She glared at him for a moment before turning to one of the Royal Guards in the room.

"Are the steeds ready for the journey?" she asked.

"They're at the back, in the inn's stables" said the man.

"Are they well rested and fed?" Azula inquired, as she walked with the guard towards the other side of the room. Their conversation was out of earshot for Sokka when they passed through a door at the opposite end of the vestibule.

The gladiator frowned as he stared at the corridor through which the Princess had vanished. She had been nice while they were at the Arena… now she had been snappy for a moment, but then she wasn't so angry anymore… What was going through that head of Azula's? Would he ever understand it? It didn't seem like he would. She was so secretive, so uptight with her business…

The guards came and went as time passed them by. A pair of men showed up to bring the unconscious guard to his room, leaving Sokka to himself on the vestibule until the Captain reappeared, clad in his best clothes for traveling.

"You brought Taro back?" asked the man, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Sokka with curiosity.

"Taro? You mean the fainted guard?" Sokka asked "Yeah, I did. He freaked me a little when he fell headfirst on the ground… is he always like that?"

"He has a disease" said the Captain "He has a hard time breathing in agitated circumstances. Whenever he's anxious he's prone to blacking out like that"

"Why is a guy like that a Royal Guard?" asked Sokka, confused.

"His firebending is impressive whenever he's not fainted" said the Captain matter-of-factly, checking the contents of a large pack he had brought downstairs.

"If you say so… so, from what I heard, you'll be taking off now?"

"You already knew I wasn't staying with the Princess's group at all times" said the Captain, without looking at Sokka.

"Yeah, I did… I just thought you'd leave later" Sokka replied, shrugging.

"Why do you seem so bothered by it?" asked the Captain, frowning.

"Well… you were the only person I could talk to over here" said Sokka, smiling sideways "At least, the only one I could talk to without weighing every single word I utter…"

"Maybe you should weigh them more often, even while dealing with people other than the Princess" said the Captain, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe…" said Sokka. He sighed and folded his arms, leaning back on his chair "Are all women like that? Or is that just Azula?"

"Like what?"

"You know… impossible to understand" said Sokka, sighing "One minute she wants nothing to do with me, and every little thing I do ticks her off… but then she's nice to me? And then she's cold again, but she gives out a hint as if she were about to be nice again… I just don't get it!"

"I'm not that knowledgeable about women" said the Captain, staring at Sokka as the man grimaced in his confusion "I don't know if all of them are impossible to understand… but the Princess is special indeed. Reading through her actions is no easy feat"

"Tell me about it" said Sokka, scratching his head lazily "And it's not just her actions… it's her emotions. When I try to do my best to please her, she disdains me. When I'm sure I've disappointed her, she seems to approve of me. How…? Why? I just don't get it. She's beyond me"

"I have always thought she is" said the Captain, sighing before turning around towards Sokka "But even when I think so, there's something I need to ask of you"

"Uh… of me?" asked Sokka, blinking in utter confusion "What's that?"

"After I take off with my group, there will be ten Royal Guards left to defend the Princess. There will be eight palanquin bearers… and there will be one gladiator"

Sokka stared at the Captain in surprise as he stood up from his chair, his eyes never leaving the man's fierce golden glare.

"One man can make the difference in a battle" said the Captain "One man can save the Princess's life if it were to be endangered. If I had a choice, I wouldn't leave her protection up to you in a thousand years… but I don't have one. So I'm going to do what I thought I'd never have to do…"

"Captain…?"

"Promise me, gladiator… that you'll protect her with your life if it comes down to it" said the Captain "I know the other guards will do so… but I don't know if they'll be enough to keep her safe if our plans have any miscalculations. I need to know you'll stand by her, that you'll act as her personal shield if needed"

"W-what, you… you think I can do that?" asked Sokka, surprised "You're actually asking me to…?"

"I'm doing it because I have no choice, I already said so!" the man declared, grimacing in irritation.

"Right, right… you just took me by surprise with this" said Sokka, smiling awkwardly.

"And when I'm telling you to protect her, I'm not telling you to overwhelm her by trying to take care of her at all times" said the Captain "The Princess needs her space. Don't forget that"

"I won't… and I'll do it, when I can" said Sokka, nodding and staring at the Captain in the eyes "Because, well, she knows how to fight for herself too. But if there are any fights I can win for her, in the sand or not, I'll do my best to win them. You can count on that"

"You'll be traveling with her for a very long time" said the Captain "Make sure no harm befalls her… no harm of any kind. And by that I mean…"

"I know, I know" said Sokka "By that you mean I'd better not hurt her while you're not around or you'll have my head when you get back"

"If I get back…" muttered the Captain darkly, surprising Sokka.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" the gladiator said, staring at the man with shocked eyes just as the Princess reappeared through the door and looked at the two men with confusion. Since when did Sokka and the Captain get along so well…?

"What are the two of you talking about?" she asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as she passed by them.

The Captain looked at Azula with puzzled eyes, his sense of duty urging him to answer her question as his common sense told him otherwise. She wouldn't be pleased to know he was making plans for her safety… And the Captain was pleasantly surprised to discover Sokka had come to the same conclusion.

"Y-you and him were talking about stuff earlier and you didn't explain anything to me! This is a spoonful of your own medicine!" he said, folding his arms over his chest.

Azula felt an intense urge to burn the gladiator to a crisp for those words… until she realized that was exactly the sort of comebacks he used to send her way. Her anger froze right away as her amber gaze lingered upon him for a moment.

"Huh… really? That's… that's how you're going to play this?" she asked, challenging him with a raised eyebrow.

The usual aggressive hint on her voice was gone, replaced by a strange uncertainty Sokka had never seen on Azula before. It was as if she were probing him, testing him out in some way…

"Uh… maybe?" he muttered, not sure of how to best answer her question.

Azula seemed somewhat disappointed by his lack of conviction, but she was pleased in a way. That had been him, alright… it was only a shred of his usual self, but it was still there. He wasn't completely gone. He hadn't fully transformed into an incompetent wimp.

"Wrong answer" she said, but she couldn't hold back a small smile before moving towards the inn's main door "Are you ready to leave, Captain?"

"Yes, Princess" said the man, nodding. Azula turned to look at him again, all trace of her grin gone from her face.

"Gather the rest of your team, then. The Dragons are already waiting for you in front of the inn"

"Right away, Princess" said the Captain, heading upstairs to find his men as Azula passed through the threshold of the inn's front door.

Sokka was left alone in the vestibule, although he didn't even notice the others were gone. His eyes had snapped open wide as he gazed at the spot in which Azula had been standing just a moment ago. He hadn't been imagining things, had he? Her lips had curled into a smile if only for a second! How had that miracle happened, if he had just spouted out nonsense at her?! Was the Princess fond of the nonsense all of sudden?!

Whatever it was, though… it didn't change the fact that she had smiled. She had smiled. Sokka couldn't hold back the urge to laugh, feeling triumphant for the first time in weeks.

"She smiled!" he exclaimed, falling back on his chair as he beamed at the ceiling "She smiled!"

Sokka didn't notice the door had been left open, though… and Azula stood just a few feet away from him, her eyebrows twitching as she heard his cheerful claims. She felt the color rushing to her face before she could keep her body in check. She had never thought he would take notice if she smiled or not… and what was it to him anyway?! Why was he so happy about it?!

She wanted to walk right back into the vestibule and strike a fistful of flames into his mouth if only to shut him up, but how was she going to explain the now prominent blush on her face? Why was she blushing anyway?! It was still the same fool that had hurt her, the same jerk who had chosen another woman over her…!

It really was him. Even if he had changed so much… it still was him.

For some reason, the realization was beyond relieving even when she didn't want it to be. For Sokka to have remained as the fool he was didn't mean he was going to treat her any differently… although he had been treating her quite differently lately. He had been submissive, he had apologized, he had let her walk all over him when he wouldn't have done it before. Was he trying to prove to her that he would be willing to put down his pride if it would help him earn her forgiveness and atone for his sins…?

The thought angered her and saddened her at the same time. The situation made her feel vulnerable again, just like an open wound. It was a sensation she didn't want to relive… even when she knew she had actually missed it. The contradictions in her mind made her want to throw up in disgust. Why couldn't she think straight anymore? Why was everything so confusing, so twisted, so absurd…? The only thing she knew for certain was that the one who had brought all those contradictions into her life had been him.

And he was glad she had smiled… he was glad she had smiled. If he prized her smiles so much, why had he made her cry before? More contradictions, more confusing thoughts… she shook her head, trying to hold back the intense emotions that overwhelmed her right now. Why had she had opened the gateway to those feelings once again? Why had she let her shield of hatred break down…? She cringed and shook her head. Well… even if she had let her emotions burst out of their prison again, she wouldn't act upon them. She would rely on her mind and her instincts, on that alone. She was done with letting her emotions dictate her actions.

The Captain and the rest of his men showed up only a few seconds after she was done coming to her conclusion. Azula's flush vanished as she invested her thoughts completely in the situation at hand. Each guard climbed on the saddle of their respective Mongoose Dragon, and Azula walked up to the Captain, who would be leading the way out of the city.

"Keep in touch" she commanded "Send a messenger hawk whenever you make any progress. We're set to meet again in Ba Sing Se, Captain… and you'd better have seized the Rhinos when we do"

"I will make sure not to let you down, Princess" said the man, bowing his head down towards her.

"We'll see about that" Azula growled, narrowing her eyes "Good luck, Captain"

"You too, Princess" said the man, looking at her one last time before shaking his reins and ushering his mount to break out into a sprint.

The other guards followed his lead immediately, steering the reptiles into the streets and vanishing from sight as they took a turn in Yu Dao's main street. Azula stared after them until the last one was gone. Only time would tell if her plan would be of any use… she had no choice but to trust the Captain, even when her mind advised her not to trust anyone ever again.

She sighed before turning around towards two guards who had walked outside to watch the rest of the men leave.

"Stay in the inn" she muttered "Any messages they send while we're still in Yu Dao should reach the inn instead of the Morishita house to avoid being read by untrustworthy eyes"

"Yes, Princess" said the men, bowing down to her "We'll keep an eye out for the messenger hawks"

"Good. Make sure to inform me if anything happens in the course of what's left of the week" said Azula "We'll be setting out to Omashu in four days, so long as everything goes along with our plans"

"Yes, Princess" the men repeated, and she turned around to leave to the Morishita home… before remembering someone was supposed to come along with her.

Azula stopped on her tracks and looked back at the inn. Sokka stood on the door, his brow contracted as he thought about hell knew what. He had watched the way the Royal Guards in disguise had left on the back of Mongoose Dragons, still worried about the last words the Captain had told him. What was this deadly mission of his that could even cost him his life?

"Gladiator…" Azula grunted, glowering at him.

Sokka's eyes snapped wide open again and he looked up at the Princess. The fierce glare she was gifting him with took him aback. For what felt like the millionth time in the day, Sokka was left wondering what had he done this time around.

"Are you coming or would you rather stay in the inn?" asked Azula, folding her arms across her chest as she hoped he would pick the second choice.

"Uh, yeah! I'll be right behind you!" Sokka exclaimed clumsily, approaching Azula.

She didn't bother waiting for him to catch up with her, she started out towards the Morishita's home immediately. Sokka stared at her in utter confusion, still unable to make any sense out of the Princess's mood swings. He treaded after her, keeping some distance between both of them, hoping that the strange happenings from today had meant their relationship had been mended if ever so slightly.

Yet he could see Azula was angry at him again. And if her annoyance wasn't obvious from the start, she made sure to display it during dinner at the Morishita's home.

"So, you have started out your tour with a win, Princess" said the mayor, beaming at her "Congratulations!"

"Thank you, mayor" said Azula, taking a bite out of a dumpling.

"You weren't lying with what you said" muttered Kori, looking at her shyly "Your fighter really isn't outstanding at all"

Sokka's eyebrow twitched at the remark, but he decided to ignore the girl as he ate as gracefully as he could.

"Why would I have lied about something like that?" said Azula, smirking "I meant it when I said it. He has only made it so far because I am his sponsor"

"Indeed, his performance today proved it" said Kori, smiling back before continuing with her meal.

Azula frowned when she heard no groans of displeasure or bitter comebacks from the man sitting at her left. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Sokka, wondering why he hadn't tried to stand up for himself this time around. Was he still being a submissive moron? Did he know she had told Kori she was right just because she wanted to ruse him into defending himself…?

She was thoroughly surprised to find he seemed completely impervious to her belittling of him. And not only that… but he was eating carefully, cautiously, as if he were thinking through every single movement he was making. He wasn't chewing loudly, he wasn't dropping crumbs on the tablecloth… he was eating as if he actually had manners! Granted there were a few things about his posture and his movements that made him look extremely awkward, but regardless, he really wasn't eating like a pig anymore…

Sokka realized Azula was staring at him just as he was eating a chunk of boiled cabbage. He was startled at her expression, but he made sure to gulp all the food down and to slide his tongue over his teeth before mumbling.

"W-what?"

Azula seemed to come back to her senses upon that. She looked down at her plate again, very confused, and she couldn't help but look at him from the corner of her eye as she continued with her dumpling. His behavior was shocking, and she didn't know if she ought to be pleased by it or not. It was as if he really was trying his best to do anything she might wish for. Everything she requested, he would do it… and he wanted to see her smile, too. He really was as eager as she was to get their relationship back to the way it used to be.

But she really didn't know if she wanted for things to return to what they had been. Her own vulnerability terrified her, and the fear of getting hurt by him again went way too deep into her soul. Was there a chance that he wouldn't damage her this time around? How much truth had there been in his apologies? And how was she supposed to trust him again after all he'd said and done? Did he deserve to be trusted? Could he be trusted…?

She wouldn't trust him in personal regards, that much was a given. She had given him too much information, opened up to him more than she ever had opened up to anyone else. She had gone too far. She had done it because she had felt comfortable by doing so, because it had seemed like he actually cared for what she had to say… but, as it was, she couldn't trust him like that anymore. He had claimed to hate her, claimed she was pure evil… and even if he said he was sorry, how did she know he really wasn't thinking such things about her anymore? She didn't… and it terrified her that he might still see her in that way. Even if his latest actions screamed the opposite, the possibility was still there. So… if he really was trustworthy this time around, she had to find out through other means. Not by opening up about her innermost thoughts and secrets to him… but by letting him in on another mystery he wanted to know about.

Azula climbed the stairs towards her room after dinner was finished, followed closely by Sokka. He could sense there was something bothering her, her head wasn't held up high as always and she seemed awfully tense…

Azula stopped in the hallway between both their rooms. Sokka stared at her, worriedly. Should he head into his room and ignore her…? It didn't look like she wanted to be bothered right now. He lurked to the side, stretching his hand towards the door that led to his room…

And for what felt like the millionth time in the day, Azula did the exact opposite from what Sokka expected. Her hand darted out towards his wrist, grasping him firmly and dragging him into her room without a word of explanation.

Sokka's eyes widened and a flush appeared on his face as his mind fell into a state of utter disbelief. Okay… this was beyond weird. What was she doing this time around?! Bringing him into her room? What could she possibly want to do in there that required his presence? If she wanted to talk, they could have done it in the hallway! So… did she want something else? Her tension could be translated into nervousness, perhaps… her confusing actions were speaking for themselves, and he could hardly believe what they were saying…

She tossed him on a chair near the dresser, and he almost fell over as he stumbled to keep balance on the furniture. He looked up at her in terror, his cheeks reddening while wondering what on earth was going through the Princess's mind right now…

Azula wasn't blushing, though. That was the first sign that gave away that she probably wasn't trying to do anything out of the ordinary to him. His suggestive jokes would make her face turn a shade redder than the Fire Nation emblem, so if she had any impure intent towards him her face would have given it away already.

The Princess placed her hand on the dresser behind Sokka, striking the furniture with more strength than she had intended to as she glared at him. His eyes reflected some fear, which pleased her… but also curiosity. He wanted to know what she was up to… and he was about to find out.

"You asked earlier about what I was discussing with the Captain, didn't you?" she grunted, her fierce golden eyes never leaving his "Well, you're about to find out what it was, so long as you keep your mouth shut while I explain this to you. Got it?"

Sokka blinked a few times before realizing what she was about to do. She was really going to reveal the true nature of her mission to him! He nodded and stared at her expectantly, determined to listen to the end.

"The mission my father entrusted me with is catching a group of Fire Nation brigands that are disturbing the peace in the Colonies. They're called the Rough Rhinos. They ride from town to town in Komodo Rhinos, pillaging every village they can get their hands on and causing as much damage as they can get away with. And they have gotten away with too much of it as it is. My father heard about this situation and decided to put an end to it, and he asked me to capture them and bring them back to the Fire Nation"

"He… he did?" asked Sokka, frowning.

"Well, it was my Uncle's idea originally, as you already know" grunted Azula, taking a few steps away from him, her gaze still fixated upon him

Sokka's frown deepened as he sat properly on the chair, having been leaning back before to avoid any potentially awkward physical contact between the two of them.

"He… asked you to take care of these men" he repeated "He sent his only daughter, blood of his blood, to catch a group of criminals and bring them home…"

"What is so hard to understand about this?" snarled Azula.

"Well, I just… don't know if he thought this through" muttered Sokka "I'm not going to say you're not capable of catching these men… but when I arrived to the inn, the Captain was telling you they have even killed people. I understand you're more than able to get them for their crimes, but I don't understand why your father would send you to do such a dangerous job"

"Our army is spread too thin" she replied "Most our forces are needed at other stations. I was available, and so were my Royal Guards. It's not as unreasonable as you think it is"

"I guess not…" Sokka said, still frowning "I find too many things odd about this, though. For your father to agree to send you when your uncle was the one to suggest sending you… I mean, I know your relationship with that old man is pretty edgy. I figure your father would be aware of that as well. Didn't he question him at all about his motives?"

"My uncle claimed he was suggesting me because I was a capable leader and whatnot" grunted Azula, rolling her eyes at the memory of the war meeting "And my father wasn't that keen on sending me away. He allowed me to choose whether I'd do it or not"

"That's still weird… but it's good to know that he let you choose" said Sokka, shrugging "It seemed odd that the Fire Lord would force his only daughter to go to a mission as dangerous as this one"

"The Rhinos aren't all that deadly for someone like me" said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe not" said Sokka, shrugging "Is it normal, though, that the Fire Lord sends his kids to get these matters sorted out?"

"Most members of the Royal Family get involved in warfare at some point in time" said Azula "Well… most male members, at least. I don't believe there have been any women commanding an army before…"

"So you're a pioneer at this?" asked Sokka, smiling "Sounds neat"

Azula heard those words and couldn't hold back a small smirk. She hadn't quite thought about it in this manner…

"It seems like I am"

Sokka's chest seemed to be set ablaze as he saw her smile again. He couldn't help but admire her from his seat, amazed by how beautiful she looked whenever she was pleased…

Azula took notice of the way he was beaming at her, which prompted her to stop smiling altogether. The dumb look on his face made her grimace and blush at the same time.

"W-what are you looking at? And why are you looking at it like that?"

"W-what? Like what?" asked Sokka, clueless.

"Like that! Just… ugh, forget it!" she said, shaking her head "Alright, you got what you wanted! You can go ahead and leave now!"

"Uh… alright…" said Sokka, his gaze not leaving the Princess as he stood up again, studying her features in utter confusion.

"Get-out-already!" she said between gritted teeth, annoyed at how slowly he was moving.

Azula slammed the door shut as soon as Sokka was out in the hallway again. He stood in place for a moment, still having a hard time assimilating what had happened inside the room. It hadn't been his imagination, had it…?

"Was she… blushing?" he muttered, absent-mindedly.

And why was she blushing, he couldn't figure it out for the life of him. The Princess really was too much for him to handle.

Azula stood inside her room, feeling more foolish with every second that passed her by. That stupid savage was making a mess of her head even when she had been trying not to feel anything towards him… she walked to the side of the bed and collapsed on it, hoping a good night's sleep would help her clear her mind and help her forget the dumb and fascinating smile she'd seen on his face just a moment ago.


End file.
